The First Seconded
by Falcon-Rider
Summary: 3-5-09 See Author Profile or email for more details. Story is currently being re-edited - AU from Grave Spikes journey from Africa back to sunnydale, he gets a watcher named Tara and a seer named Nich... slight Ats Xover, eventual B/S,
1. Prologue: The Second First 143 days

NOTE: Reviews make me want to write and post faster! J

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I own the basic plot; though it _will_ probably be similar to other fics, do to the fact it's centered on spike post Grave. I own Nich and I **_wish_**I owned spike…. But I don't. Joss, UPN, Mutant Enemy, WB and ect own BtVS and Angel….. L Isn't it sad? 

Summary: Post Grave…. Spikes journey back to Sunnydale; he finds a new purpose in life. On his journey he makes some new friends, who are both chosen in their own way to help with the fight. 

Note: Nich- pronounced Nick and I've never been to Africa, nor did I spend time researching airports or sewer systems in Africa. Nor have I been to England.

The First Seconded Prologue **The Second First**

_143 days_

He pushed himself up into a kneeling position; the cool sand hampered his movements caused him to work his tired muscles harder. He leaned back his mouth open and eyes closed as the sun began to work its way over the distant horizon. The light began to filter toward him and he wished for it to hurry. He wished it would end his existence, let him atone by dieing. 

The light touched the sand and then his skin, his pale, cut, and bruise-covered skin, and then made its way to his white-blonde hair. He expected pain, then silent oblivion before eternal hell. But none of that came, none of it at all.

"Spike." A voice called softly as the sun began to climb across the sky. "_William_."

His eyes opened as he fell forward into the sand. He forced himself to roll onto his back, coughing up sand as he did so. His blue eyes stared at the bright blue sky above him as tears began to fall from his eyes.

"William, you completed the trials… only one other has ever managed to do that." The soft familiar voice told him.

He didn't answer as a shadow fell across his face. Instead he tried to fall away from the world and hide, hoping perhaps the sun would realize its mistake.

"William!" The sharp voice caused him to stare at the face that was calling him.

"G-glinda? Tara, wha-" He managed to get out, his voices was hoarse and mouth dry.

Tara, at least that was whom she looked like stood before him. "I am a spokesman, this is a form familiar to you… William, you now have a duty to fulfill, a calling."

"No, I should be dead, after all I've-"

"You have a chance to atone for it William, like I once did. You asked to give the one you love what she deserves, then do so." The voice had grown colder. "You are the first, a new line. A new chosen one."

"I- I- chosen?" Spike pushed himself up blinking against the glare of the sun off the sand.

"You completed the trials, you are the second one to do so, and I was the first." Behind Tara a dark figure with mud streaked on her face and crude cloths over her body appeared and walked up to him.

"Who are you?"

"I am just as you are. The first. The slayer." Spike opened his mouth and stared at the creature before him unable to speak as she began to move backwards. "You will have help, one will return with you… her time is not yet up they have decreed. Another will join, to aid in the journey… trust, forgive, live. Return when the time is right, to the place you belong… bad things have happened in your absence. Your sisters and love… will require your presence to aid them through the coming times…" 

TBC

Please Review, This is my first long fic where I type up the fic instead of writing then typing. The next part will be up in a few days to a week depending on reviews…. More reviews the sooner the next part is posted, currently I'm writing part 5 so the others are ready to post… REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	2. Part One Burned and Bruised Among Frien

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider

Author Note: 

_            Hey, I'm going to try and put a new part out every few days. So keep looking for more parts. This fic will go from Africa to England to LA and then finally back to Sunnydale._

_Also the book mentioned in here is a book of spells and prophecies. Another note, I live in Washington and have never been to California or England or Africa… though I might go to England the year after next._

See Prologue for disclaimer!

Thanks for the Reviews!

_I'm glad you enjoyed the first part **Sampson**! And I already have up to part six typed, and am working on the rest…_

__**_______** thanks for the review as well, this chapters a bit longer then the last. And the rest are going to be at least this long, if not longer._

**_Scott Korman_**_, I like Tara's character and was mad they got rid of her and came up with this idea that would get her and Spike back to Sunnydale within 147 days of Spikes departure. And I'm glad you think it's interesting! __J_

**_TalesOfSpike,_**_ thanks for reviewing! I think it's unlikely she'll come back in the show too…. But we can always hope!!!!!!!!!! _

And on to the Story!

****

Part one **Burned and Bruised Among Friends**

_142 days_

She sighed and blew a strand of hair out of her face as she watched the still body in front of her, she had managed to get him out of the sunlight, she gave herself that much credit, but the skin was still a light pink, the new slayer had been burned pretty well by the suns rays.

"I wish you'd wake up." She said to him. "This is all boring, I don't know why I let the powers talk me into this."

"You let them because you had to, you know its your job… the powers didn't make a lot of seers, Nich." The older woman was looking through a chest full of supplies as she spoke.

"I know," Nich rolled her eyes and sighed. "I just wish the powers would give people a choice next time… I mean, I may be half demon and all but I still don't enjoy being rewired to become a walking talking alarm system."

"You're not an alarm system."  Nich glanced at her and the woman sighed. "You get visions, and they say where we will be needed, there's a difference."

The teen sighed turning back to stare at Spikes unmoving body, "If you say so." A few seconds later she narrowed her eyes, "Hey Slayer! Get your ex-dead ass up and out of that bed bef-"

"Nich!"

*

Spike slowly regained consciousness, he didn't open his eyes as tested his awareness. There were two people in the room with him, the room was dark, and he could smell and hear a fire in the small room. He began to listen to the conversation the two people in the room were having. One of the voices seemed familiar, but he couldn't quite place it-

"Hey Slayer! Get your ex-dead ass up and out of that bed bef-" He jerked his eyes open and sat up, wincing as his nearly healed wounds stretched. He skin hurt but it wasn't that bad. He stared at the two girls in the room with him, The younger had blonde hair that was slightly wavy and pulled back so the top part was in a pony tail and the rest hung loose past her shoulders. She was wearing slightly torn and faded jeans along with boots and a black sleeveless T-shirt. The older one however...

"Nich!" She scolded and glanced up at Spike. "I'm sorry, she was supposed to let you wake up on your own Spike."

"Tara?" He asked confused.

She nodded and smiled, "Yah, I g-guess the powers felt I would be n-needed."

"Why aren't you in Sunnydale?" He asked softly he glanced down at his hands.

"There was… I died," Tara smiled weakly. "I d-don't know everything that happened though, just that I w-would be needed and I was supposed to help you an-and Nich… apparently we have 142 days before we can return to Sunnydale."

"Yah, what's up with that?" Nich rolled her eyes. She hopped up and walked over to Spike and held out her hand smiling. "Hi ya, I'm Nich and I got the oh-so-great job of being your one-and-only seer… unless I get killed of course."

Spike glanced at the teen then up to Tara as he began to slowly realize for the first time that this was real. He was now a slayer, the first in a new line, and he had a purpose in this world. 

"Bloody hell."

*

"Well, that's an interesting name; 'Bloody hell' should I call you Mr. Hell or Just Bloody?" Nich asked sarcastically turning away to sit by the small fire. 

Spike glanced at her and shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Spike… or that's what it was…. Its confusing…" He trailed off as he touched his forehead. He hissed in pain and quickly pulled his hand away. "Its as if I'm both-"

"They integrated your soul and demon." Nich stated calmly, staring into the bright flames.

"They what?" he stared at her in alarm.

"They mixed your soul and demon, don't ask me how… it's the process of becoming a slayer I guess." Nich flashed him a smile. "If your feeling up to it you better come eat, Tara managed to scrounge up something semi good while you were napping."

Tara glanced up from an old dusty book as Nich spoke and smiled. "I n-never was good at cooking much more than pancakes." She said softly.

Spike stood shakily and slowly made his way across the huts dirt floor. His muscles ached with every movement and his chest hurt as he breathed. He managed to sit down between Tara and Nich, the teen handed him a small bowl and a spoon. Spike stared down at the mixture of things then stirred the soup gently.

"It's not going to bite." She told him, he glanced up meeting her yellow-green eyes.

"Oh, right." Tentively he took a bite, and then another till Tara had to stop him and make him slow down. After all he hadn't digested food for a hundred and twenty-two years give or take.

Eventually he set the bowl down on the dusty ground and nodded at the book Tara was reading. "What's that?"

"A guide… I-I'm trying to translate it, but it's g-going to take a while." She glanced up at him. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," Spike stared straight ahead silent for a moment. "The pains lessening at least," he smiled tentivly at the witch and tilted his head to the side. "The wounds are almost healed."

"Always a plus." Nich commented from his left. She yawned and stretched lazily. "That burn of yours seems to have faded into a tan now as well."

Spike glanced down at his arms surprised. Even in the dim firelight he could tell the pink was gone replaced by a slight tan. "I guess I'm not allergic to the sun anymore." He observed aloud.

"Nope, b-besides being a slayer you-your 100% human," Tara stifled a yawn as well. "I think maybe we should all get some rest, then perhaps start getting ready tomorrow, there's sun block in the chest, if your feeling up to it you can train some tomorrow."

"That'd be great… I guess." Spike frowned. "Are you supposed to be my watcher, or something?"

Tara glanced at her hands, "For now at least…" She trailed off. As she stood she set the book back into the chest and dusted her pants off. "We should really get some sleep, we only have four months till we have to be ready for…" Spike glance at her startled. "Well, wha-whatever it is we have to be ready for."

He nodded and stood. The new slayer barely managed to get back to his sleeping pad before he collapsed and fell into a deep slumber, his body and mind completely exhausted.

Nich stared at the ceiling as she listened to the ex-vampire's breathing. "Do you think he'll be okay Tara?" She asked softly, she looked at Tara as the witch began to bank the fire. 

"I hope so," Tara glanced across the dark hut to where Spike lay, his bleached hair stood out in the darkness. "For everyone's sake." A small smile crossed her face. "For Buffy's sake." She whispered softly to herself.

Nich turned her gaze away as Tara lay down on her own mat. The seer pulled a worn blanket over herself and turned on her side as she closed her eyes. Her life was beginning to come together, and she hoped the road ahead would bring better things into her life, perhaps she could even gain a few friends along the way. She didn't even stop to think that perhaps she already had.

TBC

Yippie! I got around to posting part one! Hmmmm good for me, don't forget to **Review** it makes me want to post more, and more often!!!!!!!!!!!

Next part: _Learning to Breathe_


	3. Part Two Learning to Breathe 141 days

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com

Website: www.geocities.com/starsightvoices

Rating: PG-13 for Agnst and ect. _(Spike will have guilt and feels remorse, more on that will be touched on in later chaps)_

Archiving: www.fanfiction.net, The Stars The Voices, and if you want to archive it just email and ask me. And send me a link to your site while you're at it! J

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. __J___

Authors note: _Someone asked if Tara went through the Trails the answer is no she did not, the powers brought her back to aid Spike and Nich, there is a reason behind this in my overall plot that will come out in the last bit of the story. The only person who went through the trials is Spike. Does that answer your question? Oh and yes she's real, she's just like she was before she died. Oh, they do mention in Part One a bit about Sunnydale and why she's not there.  _J

**And now to the Story!**

***

Part two **Learning to Breathe**

_141 days_

The hut was empty when Spike awoke the next day. He slowly sat up noticing almost all of his bruises were gone and cuts healed. A small sliver of light drifted in form the huts entrance and fell across a small note pad next to his bed. Reaching down he picked it up and saw it was a note from the two girls that shared the hut.

~William~ 

            _Nich and I went to the nearby village for supplies; we'll be back around three. There's a change of clothes for you in the chest. There's also a backpack with a towel, soup and a toothbrush (amongst other things) in there, yours is the black one with the red zipper. _

_            There's a water hole on the other side of the oasis, no need to worry about predators the powers have made it so only the herbivores will visit it. You can clean up there._

_                                                                                                ~Tara~_

_PS remember to wear sun block._

Spike sat up and looked around the small hut wondering what time it was. When he finally got up he made his way across the room to the chest and opened it. There were three sections in the chest, which he guessed meant there was one for each of them.  A black and red backpack set on top of one of the sides so he took it out. Beneath it was several pairs of khakis and jeans, along with several shirts of varying colors, that for the most part blue, tan, white and black. He chose one of the blue jeans and a tan shirt, he knew it probably wasn't flattering but didn't care knowing it was going to be hot outside. 

Indeed it was hot outside. The sun was high when Spike exited the hut, he could tell even having not been outside for the last century it was about midday. The ex-vampire had found the container of sun block and spread it across his arms, legs, neck and face. He had slipped on the pair of tennis shoes and stepped out into the bright sun. It had taken a moment for his eyes to adjust the brightness, and then he had promptly spotted the waterhole and headed toward it.

Once there spike stared at his reflection in the water, after he had studied his reflection for about half an hour he looked away. The person he saw was different from the last time he had seen himself, his hair was shorter and white, and he was skinner and his body was toned unlike it had been before being turned. Eventually he undressed and slipped into the cool water hissing as it touched his remaining injuries. He swam for a while before grabbing the soap and cleaning the sweat and dried blood from his body. When he was finished he redressed and applied the sun block once more before heading back to the hut.

*

Nich kicked a pebble and it skidded in the dust and gravel road ahead of her. Tara and she had managed to gather some weapons, knives and a spear, from the villagers along with some fruit and herbs. The teen had scared a few of the villagers who noticed her eyes were 'demon-like' in color and shape, since they had slited pupils. 

Tara hadn't said anything yet but Nich knew she probably wasn't going to be returning to the village with the witch the next time someone had to go there.

"I'm sorry about my eyes," Nich said softly. "I'll have to remember to wear my contacts next time."

"That's alright, it not your fault… sides we got all the things we needed." Tara smiled as she whipped her forehead with the back of her hand. Nich was silent again and Tara glanced over at the teen. She was worried for the girl, it seemed to her as if Nich wasn't used to being treated well, and that probably had a big thing to do with her cat-like eyes.

Nich nodded and stared ahead once more and the two fell into a silence as they walked.

*

It was about two thirty when the girls reached the oasis and Spike was nowhere to be seen. Tara headed into the hut and set the weapons, not including the spear, on a rack against the wall and pulled out the book. She sat down in the shade of the hut and began to take notes as Nich messed around.

So far Nich had managed to twirl the spear five times in a circle switching hands once before dropping it. Every time the spear fell she cursed silently jumping back. On Nich's sixth attempt the spear flew backward out of her grip. She flinched waiting for it to hit the ground once more.

"She should be careful pet, you could have broken something." Nich flinched again before she turned to face the slayer.

"Sorry, just trying to-"

"Do this?" Spike asked and began to spin the spear expertly. Nich's eyes widened and she nodded.

"How do you do that?"

"Here I'll show you," Spike stopped spinning the spear and motioned for her to come to him.

Tara glanced up and smiled as Spike taught Nich how to move her hands correctly and how to make the spear move. She let them mess around for about half an hour before she stood and brushed the dirt off her legs.

"Nich, why don't you practice that in the shade?" Tara asked the teenager as she reached them. Spike quirked an eyebrow at the blonde witch and Nich sighed as she picked up the fallen spear once more.

"So Glinda, what's on the agenda?" Spike asked her watching as Nich continued to fumble through the twists and turns the spear made.

"Control would probably be something to work on," Tara sorted through the pouch that hung from a strap on her shoulder.

"Control? Controlling what?" he asked as Tara produced a crystal. She held it between them, a rainbow appeared on the ground as the light reflected through it, Tara looked up at him.

"You haven't needed to breath for a century," Spike looked at her with an expression that told her 'duh'. Tara smiled. "So it'll be easy for you to learn to control it, or it should be."

He nodded, "Right… so where are we going to do this?"

"Sit cross-legged on the ground," Spike did as she told him, and sat in front of a small stone with an indent in the center. Tara placed the crystal in the indent and glanced over to where he was watching her. "Now concentrate on the crystal," Spike stared hard watching the light reflect over and through it creating rainbows. "Now slow your breathing-"

"Ouch!" Nich squealed startling Tara and spike. She grinned sheepishly, "Sorry… I'll just go practice at the water whole then…"

As Nich walked off Tara turned back to Spike, "All right then begin again. Focus…"

*

That night the three gathered at a fire outside of the small hut that was now their temporary home. Nich was seated on s small rock, a bowl of Tara's soup in her hands. Spike lay back in the cool sand across the fire from the teen staring up at the stars as Tara poured him a second helping.

"So, how long are we going to be here?" Spike asked breaking into the silence of the cool night, which contrasted greatly to the blistering heat of the day.

Nich glanced up from scowling at her dinner, "That's something I'd like to know too… I mean being away from civilization for more than a few days." She shuddered. "I'd miss out on… well everything."

Tara smiled softly, "We'll stay here for a m-month, after that w-we'll have to head out and find some answers." She walked over at Spike and handed him the soup bowl, "Perhaps Eng-England? We'll need to get William some traveling and birth documents, p-plus we can probably find some information about being a slayer… more than you already know that is."

Spike nodded as he sat up to take the soup, "Perhaps, perhaps I can even up one on…" He trailed off finding himself hit by a torment of emotions as he went to say his loves name "You know, get a Slayers handbook an all." He added softly.

"What do they need a handbook for?" Nich snorted. "What does it say: Place stake A into heart B of Vampire C and thus Vampire C goes all dusty?"

"Yes ma-maybe you could," Tara ignored Nich's comment and walked over to sit on another rock.

Spike stirred the soup slowly watching the meat and herbs spin in a small whirlpool. He glanced back up at the stars and sighed as he removed his spoon from the liquid and brought it to his lips.

TBC

Please do **Review**! It makes me want to post sooner and more often!

Next Part: _William the Vampire Slayer_


	4. Part Three William the Vampire Slayer

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com

Website: www.geocities.com/starsightvoices

Rating: PG-13 for Agnst and ect. _(Spike will have guilt and feels remorse, more on that will be touched on in later chaps)_

Archiving: www.fanfiction.net, The Stars The Voices, and if you want to archive it just email and ask me. And send me a link to your site while you're at it! 

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. Oh! And the demon guy this chap!_

Authors note: _No, I wouldn't leave it going from 1 day to the next, I just will do that every once in a while to give a better idea of what's happening and how everything is changing. Then there are times where the time will skip ahead a month or a few days… hence this part. :) _

Now the story!

****

Part Three 

**_William the Vampire Slayer_**__

98 days

Spike glanced at the hut one last time before turning back to the road and stepping one foot in front of the other on his new path in life. He wore a pair of blue jeans and a light blue T-shirt along with tennis shoes, his hair had gown out so that about an inch of sandy blonde hair showed at his roots. His hair desperately needed cut and was almost hanging in his eyes.

Next to him Nich walked humming softly to herself some song he didn't recognize. The teen was wearing her usual type of ensemble, a white T-shirt and faded jeans. Her hair pulled back into a French braid that went to her shoulders where it was secured with black faded scrunchy and the rest hung down in a ponytail to her mid-back. In her hand was the staff Spike had helped her make from one of the dead trees in the oasis. Tara had placed a spell over it so it wouldn't rot or break easy and the teen had been training with it ever since.

A small bag bounced at Tara's hip, it was filled with things that they had used that summer in training such as the crystal and a small bag of perfectly rounded pebbles….

*

Spike stared straight ahead ignoring the wind and the bright sun as it beat down on his back. He already had a dark Tan that meant he probably wouldn't get burned very badly or easily so he had removed his shirt for this exercise. It looked simple enough, balancing on a log with one foot, but it was far from it. His arms were straight out in front of him, a small perfectly rounded stone balanced on each forearm. 

_He managed to stay that way for 15 minutes the first time, thirty the second and two hours the last when Tara had told him to come down, later she had jokingly told him that the next objective would be to balance on the log in the middle of the waterhole. At the joke Spike had paled to nearly the color he had been only two months before…_

*

Tara glanced over at Spike as they walked worried for him, it wasn't because they had been away from humanity for so long or because of Buffy… it was because Spike had for so long existed separate from the world as creature of the night, a Vampire, and was suddenly going to be back in the world with all the other humans going about their daily lives, out in the sun.

 *

_90 days_

The airport was bustling and noisy compared to the solitude the Trio had faced over the last few weeks. Nich glanced around behind her dark sunglasses looking for the correct gate. 

Tara grabbed the teen's arm and pulled her past some tourists and over to where Spike leaned against a wall. "Are you two alright?"

"Yah pet, just peachy." Spike replied shortly causing Tara to wince. Nich rolled her eyes and pulled her hand from Tara's grasp.

"Lets just get gone, I can't wait to be somewhere relatively co-" She froze as her face contorted.

"What's wrong?" Spike grabbed her arm.

Tara placed her hand on the teens shoulder and frowned. "Are you alright?"

Nich nodded and turned her head up to look at Spike, "It was a vision...there's a demon, and it'll attack any minute now."

"Where?" Spike asked his face contorting from concern to emotionless.

"Back that way, near the restrooms… its big, green, scaly with slime dripping all over. Really didn't enjoy seeing it after lunch." Nich said disgusted. 

Tara shot Spike a look, "Are you ready for this?" She asked. Spike nodded and reached into his bag and removed a knife.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Spike nodded. "Lets do this then." With that he disappeared into the crowd. Nich groaned but followed suit directly, Tara following after her.

*

It was hungry and it hadn't fed in days. The darkness of the sewer was permeated by a thin streak of light from a grate over head. It growled softly as it heard the thumping of hearts that signaled the presence of prey.

It tore the Cement and dirt above it open easily jumping into a crowded hall. Its prey screamed and it followed suit letting loose a primitive screech as it launched itself at a human one thing on its mind, _dinner_.

*

Spike saw the demon as it lunged for a child, without thinking he threw the knife he had at it. It hit the demon in the shoulder burying deep in a layer of slime. The demon roared and turned toward him. The Airport hallway was clearing drastically as people ran to get away from the creature they didn't understand. 

The demon must have decided spike would be an acceptable substitute for the child for it lunged, its mouth wide open. Spike kicked it in the chest sending it flying into the wall. The bricks cracked and indented as the demon hit, paint chipping off. 

"Who are you?!" The demon hissed in its own language of snarls and hisses as spike stood over it, his foot grinding into the demons chest pushing it into the ground. 

Spike smirked his cheekbones standing out, "I'm the slayer… and your dead." A crack was heard as he snapped the creature's neck. Spike turned around to find Tara comforting the crying child and Nich shaking her head. 

"Really William, do you think you could have made more of a mess?" She asked.

"Bloody right I could have!" He replied smiling. None of them noticed the camera that had gone of during the fight.

* 

The seats in the plane were uncomfortable Nich noticed as they sat down. She groaned and turned to face the window staring out at the airport and Africa's landscape. "I can't wait to get to England." She announced.

"Neither can I, its been a few years since I've been to the mother country." Spike told her from the other side of Tara who sat between them. "And then I didn't get to see much of it in the day either."

Tara smiled as the too talked. Over the month the three had been stuck together Spike had taken on a big brother type roll in the teens life just as he had for Dawn when Buffy was gone. She was glad- neither had family right now, Spikes being long dead and who knew about Nich's family. She settled back in her seat and began to translate the 'guide' again; hopefully it wouldn't be long before they reached England. 

*

Hours later 

The plane landed smoothly with no complications, Nich had gotten slightly airsick on the way over much to Spikes amusement and Tara's chagrin since they had to move every few minutes when Nich had to go to the restroom. Tara had managed to translate about five pages of the guide on the trip getting her about halfway through the book, though she was still confused about the meaning of many of the passages in it.

Spike stretched as he stood yawning. Tara grabbed their backpacks from the overhead compartment and Nich wrapped her hands around the handle of the invisible weapons bag. 

"Can we just get off this plane?" The teen groaned loudly. Spike chuckled letting a small smile cross his face; it was gone in an instant though.

"Of course," Tara nodded then turned to Spike. "Do you think we should get an apartment or a hotel room? Who knows how long we could be here."

The ex-Vampire frowned, "Probably a hotel for now, we can look for an apartment tomorrow… I'm bloody tired."  
  


"Yes, sleep good." Nich agreed from behind them as they walked down the isle. "I call a bed!"

Tara smiled as Spike groaned. Spike suddenly had this feeling he was going to be the one on the floor.

"Don't worry William," Tara said using his human name, the girls had taken to calling him it almost immediately after they first talked at the Hut, she continued with a hint of amusement in her voice. "I'm sure the hotel room will have carpeting."

Spike scowled at her as they made their way off the plane and into the daylight.

Please **_Review, I love feedback_**, and I write and post much faster with knowledge that people read my fics! So read then review! :) And if you ask me to read something of yours I'll probably do that too…. Oh and if you want to post this at you're website, just ask!!!

To be continued in: _Bite Me_

_Note: I will be gone this weekend from the 26th to the 28th to go to the Creation Festival, which is a four day concert (july 24th to 27th) with many bands such as Relient K, jars of clay, newsboys, skillet, bleach and many more . :) I'm very happy. _


	5. Part Four Bite Me 87 days

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: PG-13 for Agnst and ect. _(Spike will have guilt and feels remorse, more on that will be touched on in later chaps)_

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. _

Authors note: _I got asked a question.. if you want to know what that question was take a look at the reviews… it's a chap 4 review…. The answer is hidden in the count down and a BtVS quote. Something Spike said to Buffy pre-OMWF ^_^ _

_Hey I'm back from Creation Fest… Mosh pits rock…  and I should have had this out Monday but I'm lazy… plus I didn't want to post it before I had gotten past my writers block on a later part which be happy! I have, my muse is back! ^_^_

_Also Note: if the quotation marks become question marks sorry… the last fic I uploaded today "Real"… they did that on it, if it bugs you go to my website and this part should be up soon… plus I got a neato title pic! For it! ^_^   AND **again** I've never been to England._

On to the Story!

**

Part Four 

**_Bite me._**

****

_87 days_

The dust fell to the ground as the Vampire exploded into thin air. Spike slipped the stake he held in his hand into his jacket pocket. The jacket was a dark blue one Tara had suggested he get for patrolling when it rained. It also was easy to hide stakes in having pockets on the inside as well as the outside. Although he had been partially to a black sweatshirt he had to agree with them it was a nice coat. 

The girls had forced him to go shopping the day before because all their clothes were dirty and had worn out in the hot desert. Apparently the Powers had taken the need for money into consideration and had provided the trio with a bank account that had enough money t pay for apartment and still have about five thousand left over. So the girls had dragged him to the closest clothes shops and had him hold their bags as they bought things, all day.

Spike ran his hand through his newly cut hair. He had decided not to bleach it because it might drag unwanted attention in his direction. He still wore black, in fact he was wearing a black T-shirt right then but he also had on blue jeans and a pair of Brown hiking boots.

He ducked as another Vampire lunged at him and brought his fist up into its chest knocking it back and into a tomb stone. The Vampire rolled on the ground as Spike went to stake it. It kicked out knocking Spike onto his stomach. Spike rolled over about to jump into a crouch as the vampire punched him square in the face knocking him dazed back down to the ground. As it was about to claim its meal a wooden stick collided with its head with a sickening thwack. The Vampire fell unconscious to the ground as Nich held out her hand to help Spike up.

"You really need to work on not getting punched you know?" Nich told him as she helped him up. 

"Well if you would have told me there would be more than- what the bloody hell are you wearing?!" Spike asked as he staked the Vampire.

"A skirt." She rolled her eyes and flipped her hair over her shoulder. She was wearing a light blue shirt and a tan mini skirt that barely reached mid thigh. She had on a white duster that went just past her knees. "And if I'd known there'd be a whole gang I would have told you, I only know what the visions tell me."

"Bloody hell! That's not a skirt! It's a peep show for Vamps, you can't fight wearing that!"

Nich rolled her eyes, "Well then you shouldn't have bought it for me _dad_."

"You know that's not the kind of thing you should be wearing it'll make blokes thin-"

Spike was cut off as Nich rolled her eyes and turned on her heal.

"That what I'm a whore?" She laughed. "Yah right. I wear what I wanna wear William, so…. Bite me! I'm not changing my style cause you tell me to!"

"If you don't watch out some nasty'll take you up your offer, pet." Spike replied walking after her as they headed back to the coffee (tea, whatever they call 'em in England) shop they had left Tara at.

"Let 'em try!"

"Maybe I should," Spike grumbled. "It might knock some sense into 'er."

*

"So how did the slaying go?" Tara asked in a whisper as the Slayer and Seer sat down. 

"Just peachy." Spike said shortly.

"Great until Mr. Overprotective decided to judge my fashion sense." Nich made a face as she sipped her now cold drink. "How are things going on the translation front?"

"Not good, I may have to contact Giles for some help… none of it makes sense, its kind of-"

"Cryptic?" Spike finished. He grabbed the notebook Tara had been using to make notes and scowled. The way things were put reminded him of some of Drusilla's ramblings. "I don't get why people insist on writing this way, can't they just be straight to the point?"

Tara shook her head amused; "I guess not, prophecies aren't usually something needing change in the writers eyes. They don't usually say exactly what's going to happen and how to change it, usual they don't know exactly what's going to happen… they just have an idea of it."

"Oh, my heads starting to hurt and I don't think its from a vision," Nich scowled, Spike sighed and ignored her. She glanced around at the few people in the shop at this time of night. "You guys finished yet? I'm thinking I'd like to get some sleep tonight."

"I think we're ready to go," Tara nodded at the teen then turned back to Spike. "William do you think you can get a hold of any old sources from… _before_ maybe find out something about the chosen's origins or something… it may help us to understand some more of what exactly the trials were about."

Spike nodded, "I'll work on it tomorrow night after I patrol _alone_." He scowled at Nich.

The teen glared at him and shrugged, "Fine it's your neck on the line, if you want to be a chew toy no skin off my back." She said as they stood and left the shop.

A young man set his paper down and frowned at the trio as they exited the shop. He reached over and turned off the tape recorder he had brought with him for the interview, which hadn't occurred due to the person being interviewed not showing up.   He rewound the tape and pressed play the groups conversation playing along with other voices in the background:

_  
"So how'd the slaying go?"_

_"Just peachy."_

_"Great until Mr. Overprotective decided to judge my fashion sense…how are things going on the translation front?"_

_"Not good, I may have to contact Giles for some help… none-_

He frowned pushing stop again. This was something to look into, if these three were a group of rouge demon hunters they could get hurt… he rewound it once more as he remembered hearing a familiar name.

_  
-the translation front?"_

_"Not good, I may have to contact Giles for some help… none-_

  
Giles. Where they talking about Rupert Giles? A watcher? He thought to himself as he pocketed the recorder. He would have to bring this tape to the council for sure. He left his drink on the table and left the shop walking out into the wet streets of London.

*

Michael Terrance stared down at the photo on his desk as he sipped some herbal tea. Setting down the cup he picked up a magnifying glass and held it over the picture trying to make out features of the young man that had killed the monster at the airport. He sighed and set it down and picked up a drawing pencil and fixed the cheekbone line on the sketch he was making. 

He had written the words 'William' and 'Slayer' in the top right hand corner of the pad before he had started the sketch so he wouldn't forget those two aspects of this "situation" if one could call it that.

As soon as the drawing was finished he planned to run it through various countries files to figure out who exactly he was… he had already started research for 'slayer' on the internet and libraries but was coming up at a loss for information. Hopefully something would come his way and he could figure out what had been going on, perhaps even make some money and sell the story of a real man with supper human strength… then he could afford that entertainment system he had always wanted.

*

Nich plopped down on the couch, which had been set out as a bed for her. Turning on the TV she settled on an episode of Red Dwarf. British humor was the best. She glanced up as Spike walked by and knelt in between her and the TV to get into the weapons chest.

"Hey! I'm trying to watch TV here." The teenager pouted. Spike tilted his head toward he and smirked. 

"You just turned the telly on, you can't be that interested yet." He removed a short knife, which was sheaved in leather with a hook to place it on a belt and stood moving just out of her way.

"This is the episode where they're going backwards in time, I love this one." She replied shortly before ignoring him.

Spike shook his head and turned to look at Tara who was standing in the kitchen boiling some water on the stove. She glanced up at him and motioned towards the table as she picked up the kettle with an oven mitt. Spike headed toward the table and pulled a chair back for the witch before sitting down himself. He set the knife on the table next to him as Tara poured the water into the two glasses. 

As she sat down Tara pointed toward the book, "We have to get Giles in on this." She shook her head sadly. "I'm afraid that with my limited access to any research books and such I may have translated what I do have done wrong."

"Alright," Spike nodded as he stirred the teabag in his glass. The water began to darken slightly with the addition. "Do you fancy him finding out about you, and our present predicament?"

She shrugged, "I d-don't really see what choice we have, plus he may also be able to answer some questions for you about slayers." 

Spike nodded and glanced toward the clock on the wall, "I'll go see 'im in the morning. Hopefully he won't turn me away."

"I'm sure he'll listen to you." Tara smiled nervously as Spike began to pull into himself again. "He might even-"

"What? If he knows… knows what I did to 'er, I wouldn't blame him if he met me just so he could put a stake through my heart," He stood up leaving his drink. "Wouldn't blame 'im one bit."

Tara watched as he stalked into his room, and shut the door. She glanced over at Nich who had obviously been watching what had happened. The teen turned the TV off and walked over to sit in the chair that Spike had just vacated. Nich removed the teabag and added a bit of sugar before sipping the drink.

"He's having a hard time still," Nich broke the silence. "He acts like nothings bothering him but that's a cover."

"It's the soul." Tara said softly. "He's trying to ignore the pain, th- the remorse."

Nich smiled awkwardly, "He's trying, and it's killing him," she glanced up at Tara. "He can't keep doing this, he's going to have to face it."

Tara nodded as the two fell silent again. The sipped their drinks quietly for a few moments before a crash came from spikes room. Nich stood to go check on him when Tara grabbed her arm. 

"Don't." Tara pulled her back into her seat. "I think he might have just began to deal."

Nich glance once more at her friend's door then turned back to the tea. She ran her fingers over the leather sheath of the knife suddenly glad they kept the all weapons besides her staff and a few stakes in the chest.

**_To be continued in:_**_ 'Aren't you hungry?'_

  
  
  


PLEASE REVIEW! It makes me want to post more…. Hehe, plus with my muse hanging over my shoulder again I can write a lot more! ^_^

**"Delight, respect, compassion, but for your actions to be pure, they must proceed from direction, determination, patience and strength. I'm afraid I'm still working on patience. They taught me how to live, how to breathe, how to fight… and how to die. And they taught me terror. How to use it and how to face it."  - Marcus (Babylon 5)**  
  
  
  


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	6. Part Five 'Aren't you hungry? 86 days,

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: PG-13 for Agnst and ect. _(Spike will have guilt and feels remorse, more on that will be touched on in later chaps)_

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. _

Authors note: _OH! Thanks for all the reviews ppl! I have the most reviews on this storie than on any of my others! ^_^  I'm glad peeps are enjoying it and its not even half way over yet! Sorry I got delayed in the posting of parts I had a lot of stuff to do lately… plus I've been adding other peeps fics to my website… ^_^ Go visit it I have a really neat title pic for this fic there! Also when I was writing this I had a bit of writers block on how to have Giles enter the story… hence the café scene… Oh and the stake through heart line… that was my moms one time suggestion since she thinks Buffy is the evil of all evils… which is why I constantly get grounded from not TV but from Buffy._

**** On to the Story!****__

Part Five 

'Aren't you hungry?'

****

_86 days_

Spike stared at the broken mirror. His reflection was marred by cracks and lines that stretched out from the place where his fist had met the glass. A few pieces of glass had had fallen to the green-carpeted floor. Spike winced as a piece cut thought the bottom of his foot as he walked toward the bed. He couldn't even stand to see himself, the person he saw scared him. When he had been alive he had been a poet, a bad poet at that. The women he had given his heart to rejected him, thus he had ran from the party and met up with Drusilla.

The brown haired man he had seen reminded him of that man, _William_. Marring _Williams's_ features however had been a scar, one that would remind him of his later existence, as a creature of the night. He had gotten that scar when he killed his first Slayer in the boxer rebellion and it reminded him of what he had become, _Spike._ _Spike_ was a ruthless Master Vampire, the killer of two Slayers. 

Spike threw himself on the bed as faces of innocents he had killed began to filter through his mind. He didn't notice as tears began to fall down his cheeks and surprised himself as he began to sob. His whole life and unlife began to replay in his mind.

_Williams's eyes opened and he stared into the darkness around him. A panic began to flood him as he realized he was lying in an unfamiliar place. His hands reached up to find a rough cotton type fabric above him. He began to feel the need to take a breath, but at the same time something told him he didn't need to.___

_An unfamiliar hunger began to fill his mind as he slammed his hands up through the cotton and hit the hard wood ceiling of the coffin…_

_His hand pushed through the top layer of soil and into the dark night. As he pulled himself through the dirt laughter met his ears. Yellow eyes found another pair of eyes. He recognized the woman from the night before an unbidden thought came to his mind, **sire.**_

****

****

_"Time to have your first meal pet… aren't you hungry?" Her voice rang in his ears as she pushed a crying, gagged young woman toward him. He glanced at his sire then to the body before him. William was confused, but the demon over rid the personality and fed for the first time. The newly risen Vampire felt the blood pour into his own mouth, heard the woman's cries and felt her life slip away._

He rolled over, turning so he could see the red glow of his clock that sat on the table next to his bed. It was just after midnight and he could hear noises coming from Tara's room, as the witch got ready for bed. Turning onto his back he caught sight of the broken jagged mirror across the room and stared at it.

The moonlight coming from the window reflected in it casting the light in jagged shapes around the room. Spike could see the bed, but where he was a piece of the mirror was missing. He stared up at the ceiling and calmed his labored breathing as he tried to relax enough to sleep.

Eventually the night claimed him and he fell back into a dream or perhaps nightmare filled sleep. About an hour later the door to the Slayers room opened and Nich quietly walked in. A broom and dustpan were in her hands as she padded across the floor. Carefully she picked up the bigger pieces then swept the rest up. Before exiting his room she drew the blinds blocking the coming dawn.

*

Panic filled him as he awoke; his breath was labored and taken in gasps as he grabbed the sheets below him ripping them. He forced himself to calm as he surveyed his surroundings. It was his room, not the coffin, the cave or anything else from his memory-induced nightmares.

Spike ran a hand through his sweat soaked hair and drew in a deep shaky breath as he slipped his leg over the edge of the bed. He moved over to the window and pulled on the cord letting the blinds fly up. He turned his head away from the bright sun; then turned away from the window and walked to his dresser. Glancing at his broken mirror he winced inside. He frowned as he glanced around. The broken glass from the mirror was gone.

Digging into his dresser he pulled out a pair of blue jeans before remembering what he was going to do that day. He set them back in the drawer and grabbed a pair of black ones and a black shirt. Spike crossed left his room and knocked on the bathroom door. No one answered so he opened it and slipped inside.

After he has taken a shower the ex-vampire felt better, all traces of his experience with the mirror the night before had healed during the night. He slipped his jeans and shirt on then left the bathroom and walked barefoot to his room. He pulled on a pair of socks before lacing up his new pair of boots.

*

Tara used a spatchula to remove the pancake from the pan as Nich laughed. "I still can't believe you burned that."

"It may not happen often, but it does happen." Tara answered smiling.

"G'morning," Spike said as he entered the room. Tara raised an eyebrow, as the teen looked him over.

"Forgot the bleach," She pointed to his head. 

Spike ran a hand through his hair and shrugged, "Not quite ready to do that."

Nich decide to leave that subject alone as Tara spoke up. "Tea?"

"Why not?" He sat in the chair next to Nich as the Wiccan poured him some.

"So, are you g-going to see Giles?" 

Spike nodded, "Figure I can run into him on accident… midday or tonight. Something of that sort."

"Oh, can I come?" Nich asked. 

"No," Spike shook his head. 

"Awe, come on somebody's got to be there if he tries to put a stake through your heart… cause you know while you can't go poof you could still die." Nich pointed out. She tried to pull a puppy face off but he didn't even look at her.

"The answers no. Leave it at that." Spike stood and headed out the door slipping on his jacket before leaving.

"What's up his butt?" Nich frowned staring after him

"He was having night mares again." Tara said quietly. "I heard him scream when he woke up."

"I know I heard him too, I live here remember?" Nich shook her head. "He has to deal with it. Why is he being so stubborn?!"

Tara smiled. "He's always been that way in all the time I've known him, its one of the reasons I always thought him and Buffy would get together."

"What happened between them?" Nich asked.

"They had problems… its not really my place to say." Tara shook her head turning back to the oven. "I don't even think I know the whole story."

*

Spike had found Giles house easily, since he had once talked to Giles about their home country. That had been during the summer that Buffy had been… gone. They had been at the Magic box drinking some tea after hours and talked about the sights of merry old England. During their conversation Giles had let slip where he lived.

The ex-Vampire decided not to let his presence known and took up shop in a small café a ways down the street. He could just sea the watchers door from where he was seated, at some point however Spike was distracted by conversation on one of Manchester United's latest games for the Slayer had no idea that the Watcher had entered the café.

Spike glanced out the window again as lifted his drink to his lips. As he was about to take a sip he was jostled in by someone passing him. The jolt caused his drink to spill onto his pants. He jumped up knocking over his chair, "Bloody Hell!"

"Spike?" A familiar voice asked and Spike turned to see Giles standing with a look of shock on his face. "What the Bloody Hell are you doing here?"

"Oh balls." Spike cursed. The whole cafes attention had centered its attention on the two men. Spike flinched as he realized all eyes were on him. "Giles, could we go somewhere a little more… private to discuss this?" He motioned to the door. 

Giles nodded and followed Spike out into the streets, once outside he grabbed the younger looking man's arm. "What have you done?"

"Nothing, but pass some bloody trials." Spike jerked his arm easily out of the watchers grip. "Which is why I came to speak with you."

"You came to speak to _me_." Giles asked incredulous as he looked over the vampire… or ex-vampire as he was beginning to suspect.

"No I came to speak to the bloody Queen, of course I came to speak with you." He glanced around at the streets filled with people. "If you don't mind could we go to your flat to chat about this?" He pointed down the street. "Its not like I need an invite anymore, so if I wanted to kill you you'd be dead already."

"Oh, uh," Giles sputtered for a few seconds before he nodded and lead the way down the street. "An explanation is in order." He stated as he glanced at Spike out of the corner of his eye.

Spike nodded a small smile appeared on his lips for a few moments. He kept his gaze on the sidewalk in front of him though as he walked. "Yeah, and you'll get your explanation, but I'm warning you that you'll probably want to kill me at some points." He added quietly.

To Be Continued in: '_One Man in all the world…'___

**Please Review! I really enjoy hearing feedback and getting pointers! ^_^**

_Though keep in mind parts 6-10 are being edited and I'm writing part 11 currently.   
  
  
  
  
  
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	7. Part Six 'One Man in all the world' 85

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: PG-13 for Agnst and ect. _(Spike will have guilt and feels remorse, more on that will be touched on in later chaps)_

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. _

Authors note: _Thank you everyone for the wonderful reviews! I love getting reviews… I love to review! ^_^ Anyway I'm brining the council in and basically for the beginning their the bad guys… and for Willow fans she will appear in part 10. Also for those wondering Spike WILL deal with guilt but his character by the time we get to LA and Sunnydale will not be brooding over it… he will have bad dreams and stuff but I'm not turning him into a Mini-Angel. ALSO I am aware that Joss has said spike really did want the soul… and I believe that sub consciously he id. So please don't yell at me about it. ^_^_

ON TO THE STORY!

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Part Six 

'One man in all the world…'

****

_85 days_

Giles unlocked his door and let Spike walk passed him into his flat. He held his breath still surprised, even after what Spike had said, that the Vampire hadn't run into a barrier. Spike stopped in the living room and glanced around the small comfortable looking room. There was a TV on one wall and a sofa and two arm chairs across from it and staggered to the side. Spike turned toward Giles who was removing his coat. The Watcher hung his long brown coat on the rack near the door.

Spike glanced at the watcher a faint smile on his lips, "Nice place you got here Rupert, the council pay you?"

"Not exactly," Giles answered as he motioned for Spike to take a seat on one of the chairs. Spike sunk into the farthest one from the long window across the room. Giles noticed how his shoulders slumped and he glanced slowly around the room his gaze repeatedly returning to his hands, which were fiddling with each other without anything to hold on to or mess with.

Giles cleared his throat as he crossed the room, "Can- Can I get you anything to drink?"

"No thanks," Spike shook his head. "I already ate today."

"Oh, well-"

Spike laughed, "I don't drink blood anymore either watcher, not really in the job description, anymore at least."

"Your not a Vampire." Giles stated the fact calmly as he sat down in a green easy chair.

"Nope," The Slayer leaned his head back against the back of his chair and sighed. "Not a Vampire."

"So, you're human then?" Spike glanced up at Giles as he removed his glasses to clean them.

"Yah, you could say that." He replied softly. He moved his arms so the set on the chairs arm rests. One of his hands fiddled with the arm rests cover rubbing the material between his thumb and forefinger.

Giles noticed these actions and sighed, "If you must you can have a fag."

Spike glanced up startled, "No I- I quit. Smoking that is, not really good for the lungs, you know."

"No, I suppose not." Giles replied. He stood up suddenly and walked over to the cupboard and grabbed a book off the shelf. "So how exactly did you say you became human?"

"I didn't, not yet anyway." Spike turned his eyes down to the floor. The carpet was a gray-green that went with the couch and chairs.

"Then perhaps you could enlighten me?"

Spike nodded, "Are you aware that Buffy and I were…" Spike paused looking for the right word.

"Together?" Giles supplied. Spike looked up sharply. "I am aware of what passed between you, and what happened before you left. Xander told me." 

Spike looked away, "You want to kill me then?"

"For a while, till Buffy explained everything. Even then I thought I might stake you if I ever saw you again… but, that's not an option now is it?"

"No, I guess its not." Spike replied softly.

"Spike, what exactly transpired after you left Sunnydale?" Giles inquired. Spike glanced away again.

"I decided to take revenge." He said suddenly, his voice so full of regret it shocked the watcher. "Went to a demon in Africa, wanted him to take the chip out." He glanced up at Giles. "I competed in these trials, mortal combat—bugs that eat you a-unlive. That sort o'thing, and I won."

"The chips out? But that doesn't explain—"

"I wasn't done watcher." Spike interrupted him. "The demon told me I won. Then placed his hand on my chest and told me he returned my soul."

"My god!" Giles removed his glasses after letting the book in his hand drop with a loud 'thunk' to the floor."

"That's not the half of it, the next thing I know I'm outside as the sun rises and Tara's there, or what looked like her at the time. Turned out she was a spokes person, for the first Slayer."

"Why would she come to you? I mean clearly your not a vampire anymore but—"

"The first has been seconded mate." Spike cocked his head to the side a small grin on his face. "I'm the chosen one, one man in all the world and all that yotz. Seems the trials were a way for the Powers that Be to create Slayers."

*

"Mr. Terrance, so good of you to come." A tweed clad man smiled as the young photographer took a seat across from him.

"I'm just glad I found someone who could answer my questions." Michael smiled taking out his folder. "I was on vacation in Africa taking scenic photos for a few weeks about a week ago. Before my return flight there was an attack at the airport by some creature, a monster."

The man nodded his face solemn as he listened. 

"I decided to take some pictures so I could figure out what it was later, and besides I might be able to sell it to some newspaper or something." The man nodded un-amused so Michael cleared his throat and continued. "Anyway, a man stepped in to stop the creature and did a pretty good job of it too." He laid the folder on the desk and opened it. Inside were the photos he had taken of the fight and the hand drawn close-ups. "Just before he killed it the creature made some noises at which the man replied: 'I'm the slayer, you're dead.'"

Michael flinched as the man continued to stare at him unfazed. "Uh then a young woman who appeared to be traveling with him called him 'William' and they left. So, can you tell me anything about the slayer?" 

The Man nodded slowly, "The Slayer is one girl in all the world chosen to fight the Vampires. She protects the world and stops apocalypses. She lives for no longer than a few years once she is called, and when she dies another is called."

"You're joking right? Vampires are real?"

"Vampires are real." He said shortly his voice cold. "Demons walk among us everyday, some look human others don't."

"Wait a second, you said the Slayer is a girl."

"Yes I did."

Michael frowned, "But this, this is clearly a man."

"Yes he is."

"Then, there's more then one slayer." 

The man sighed and stood up, "There has been more than one slayer for several years, is this all the photos?"

"Yes… but you said there was only one."

"I did," he hit the microphone on his desk. "Devon could you come in here?"

"Then how can there be more?"

"She died and was resuscitated." He replied calmly as the door opened. "Ah Devon, can you please escort Mr. Terrance out?"

Devon nodded and grabbed Michaels arm. "Wha- what's going on?"

"We can't have the general populace knowing about Demons and Slayers can we?" The man behind the desk replied rather than asked. "Devon please make sure Mr. Terrance is taken care of quietly… and don't make a mess this time."

"Yes," Devon smiled. "Of course Mr. Travers."

Quentin Travers watched as Devon escorted the struggling man outside his office. "So sad." He sighed as he examined the photos and drawings. "He was such a good artist too."

An hour later down in the sewers under London a single shot rang out and a body fell to the ground unnoticed.

To be continued in: _Stories of Pain, Heartbreak and anvils_

**Please Review! I really enjoy hearing feedback and getting pointers! ^_^**

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	8. Part Seven Stories of Pain, Heartbreak,

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: PG-13 for Agnst and ect. _(Spike will have guilt and feels remorse, more on that will be touched on in later chaps)_

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. _

Authors note: _Thank you everyone for the wonderful reviews! I love getting reviews… I love to review! ^_^ Anyway I'm brining the council in and basically for the beginning their the bad guys… and for Willow fans she will appear in part 10. Also for those wondering Spike WILL deal with guilt but his character by the time we get to LA and Sunnydale will not be brooding over it… he will have bad dreams and stuff but I'm not turning him into a Mini-Angel. ALSO I am aware that Joss has said spike really did want the soul… and I believe that sub consciously he did. So please don't yell at me about it. ^_^ I was watching the ep Nightmares and began to think to myself… who in their right mind would build a high school across from a graveyard? Then I remembered what high school I go to… so I guess I'd have to say my public school system._

ON TO THE STORY!

*******__

Part Seven 

Stories of Pain, Heartbreak and anvils

_85 days_

Spike thought that Giles was going to faint, the look of shock on the watchers face made him twist awkwardly in his chair. Giles made it to the sofa and sunk heavily into the cushions.

"My God," he whispered staring at the ex-vampire. Spike flinched and looked around the small room uncomfortable with being stared at. "You're a slayer?"

"That'd be right mate, The Slayer of Slayers a slayer… I'm going to pass on suicide I think," Spike replied trying to joke.

"Are you sure, that you are," Giles stuttered. The watcher stood once more and began to pace around the room. "I mean did they come out and say-."

"That I was a Slayer? Yeah, basically." Spike nodded. "Had a nice chat with the first slayer then woke up in a hut with pixie and my very own, very annoying person seer. 'parently the Powers decided I'd need help on my 'journey.'"

Giles removed his glasses and spike chuckled slightly, "You know Dawn once told me you clean those just so you won't have to see what… what everyone's doing." Spike trailed off his face darkened sadly as he finished.

"Well yes, things tend to be some what … pixie? Isn't that what you called Tara?"

"It- she- Pixie is Tara," Spike finally managed. Giles dropped his glasses and they fell to the floor unnoticed.

"How-" Giles' voice had caught in his throat.

"The Powers that Be of course. 'Parently she's still needed in this plain of existence for some reason… she told me, what happened up to the point when she," Spike to a deep breathe. "When she died. She's worried, how's Red?"

Giles blinked at the sudden onslaught of information. "T-tara's alive?"

"Yah, alive. She'll be wanting to talk t you as well," Spike sighed and stood stiffly. "Giles, I have to know. What happened in Sunnydale? What happened that got Tara killed?"

"It was Warren." Giles walked across his room to stand in front of one of the windows. Spike watched him surprised. The Slayer kept his mouth shut though waiting for the ex-watcher to explain. "He walked into Buffy's back yard and shot her, a stray bullet went through the window and through Tara's heart. She died instantly from what Willow said."

Spike slowly walked toward Giles to stand next to him and stared out the windows at London. The sky was gray and it looked as though it would rain soon. Spike glanced down at his feet suddenly finding them interesting. "I should have stayed. I could have-"

"No," Giles shook his head. "There was nothing you could have done. It was daylight and you would have gotten yourself killed if you had tried to stop him."

"I-is Buffy alright?" Spike asked after a few minutes of silence.

Giles turned toward him and took in his appearance. Spike was dressed in his normal black but his hair had been left unbleached and was shorter than usual. The ex-vampire had also acquired a tan and a slight hunch that was caused by his hands being placed into his pockets as he found the ground surprisingly interesting.

 "She's fine." Giles assured him quietly. "She was taken to hospital immediately."

"So the doctors patched 'er up then." Spike stated rater than spoke as he glanced up. He met Giles eyes for a split second before turning his head to stare out the window.

"No. It was Willow." Giles followed Spikes movements and returned his gaze to the window and the world outside as well. "She, in the aftermath of Tara's death she tried to resurrect her." Spike glanced up surprised. "Osirus told her she could not. After that she went crazy with rage and vengeance. She killed Warren and tried to kill Dawn, Buffy and everyone else. She tried to end the world."

"But she didn't."  Spike said quietly.

"No Xander stopped her."

Spikes head snapped up. "The whelp? He stopped her? How, did he hand her a anvil and walk her off a cliff?" He asked sarcastically.

"No, he told her he loved her."

Spike shrugged forcing himself not to laugh. "He told her he loved her." Spike bit his lip and calmed his composure. He took a deep breath before he continued, "Where's Red now?"

"Actually I was about to see her. The coven that helped in defeating her took her in. They've been helping her deal with her loss and learn to control… they've also bound her powers in a way that she will have to relearn everything to come back into full power once more."

Spike nodded, "For the greater good?"

"Yes, with any luck she'll travel down a better path this time around." Giles stepped back from the window. "Tara needed to speak with me?"

"Uh yes," Spike replied quietly. "I'll show you to the apartment if you want. I don't think they know the way here."

"Of course," Giles walked toward the door and Spike followed slowly. "If you don't mind sometime in the next day or so I'd like to gage your abilities."

"I don't." At the ex-watchers look Spike continued hastily. "Mind that is. Tara's been putting me through training for the last month or two, so you can check over her notes as well."

"She's been keeping a diary?"

"I think, yes." Spike nodded as they left Giles flat. "She felt the need to being my temporary watcher and all."

*

Quentin Travers stood in front of a long oak table in the Council of Watchers meeting room. The seats around it were filled with the senior members of the council. In front of them were copies of the pictures and several eyewitness accounts of the man, William, who claimed to be a slayer.

"The Slayer of Slayers is a slayer?" A young woman barked laughing. Her graying hair showed her old age, and her eyes were cold and ice blue in color.

"Apparently he has some way of making himself impervious to sunlight, crosses and holy water." Travers replied shortly. "But as to him actually being a Male slayer, that is highly unlikely."

"Well we do know it isn't the Amara ring seeing how the Vampire with a soul managed to destroy that." A woman with a French accent announced dryly. She had been among a group who had wanted to find out more about the mystical object when they had heard of it whereabouts

"Say he is a Slayer, shouldn't we set up a web to search for young men who may become the next slayer in this line?" A young man asked over various conversations that had been started.

"That would imply we're going to get rid of him," a watcher from the far side of the room stated. His voice was hoarse with age and his hair a gray black. 

"That is the idea," Travers cut in crossing the room. "If he is a Slayer we will be able to find the next in his line, if this is a hoax it could jeopardize everything."

"Is that always the solution, Kill the rogue? Kill anyone who doesn't follow you're orders?" The man asked calmly. Quentin made a mental note to have a 'retirement' party planned for the man.

"This 'slayer' was once a vampire, wasn't he? Why would a Vampire be made into a Slayer?" another asked cutting off further discussion into the topic of murdering another Slayer.

"That is a good question. Another question is how." Quentin replied smiling as he walked back to the front of the table to where his brief case and papers were located/

"He was in Africa correct? So it must be something located there." Someone said as they made notes in a spiral notebook.

"If we can find out what this is, and assuming he is actually a Slayer we may be able to create more slayers." A murmur of voices and conversations started up once more and Quentin Travers realized he wasn't going to be able to calm them this time. The council would need time to relax and think about what was going on.

Travers nodded as the council called an intermission. If he could figure out how to make more Slayers…

To be continued in: _Starving for Miracle jobs_

PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!! I really enjoy the feedback! ^_^ thanks all that do review, I love you guys!

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	9. Part Eight Starving for Miracle Jobs 8

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: PG-13 for Agnst and ect. _(Spike will have guilt and feels remorse, more on that will be touched on in later chaps)_

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. _

Authors note: _Thank you everyone for the wonderful reviews! I love getting reviews… I love to review! ^_^  Willow- part 10!!!!! Hehehe…. Anyway someone wanted to know what was going on in sunnydale…well I had already written this part so here it is… not a character I think most would expect. Also this story is dealing with spike and his journey for the most part currently, when I feel the need to show other characters like I did here then I do… and almost all the characters from the show that are still living will appear, (I'm working on figuring out how OZ can fit in..) anyway I wanna know if ppl want G/A or X/A… im not sure which to do yet. Also nichs story will be told just not yet… It'll happen either in LA or right before they leave England. As for my grammar and chapter length, I get more out with shorter chaps and I'll try to edit more carefully._

 TO THE STORY!

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Part Eight 

**_Starving for miracle jobs_**

****

_85 days_

The staff twirled in the air and Nich expertly caught it swinging it once more around before stabbing it to the side and into a cushion that had been set against the wall to protect it, so far it looked as if they may have to pay to get small dents and paint scrapes fixed up. After a few more minutes she leaned the staff against the wall and swiped her forehead with her hand.

"When's William going to get back? I'm starting to get antsy, plus nearly dark which is usually around the time I start to get visions." Nich asked as she walked across the room to where Tara sat.

"He'll be back soon, I hope." Tara glanced up as the teen flopped onto the couch and turned on the television. "Assuming Giles didn't freak and have a heart attack or kill him."

"Rats, then I'd be out of a job." Nich sighed mock upset. "How come there's nothing ever on… oh Vampire High…"

Tara shook her head as the door to the flat opened and Spike walked in followed closely by Giles. She stood nervously and smiled at the ex-watcher. "H-hey, how've you b-been?"

"Tara," Giles stared at the witch. Spike had told him that she was alive but it hadn't really sunk in. "You're…"

"Alive?" Tara grinned sheepishly. "That's what they t-tell me."

Nich turned the television off as they embraced in a quick hug and followed Tara in standing. "So you're Giles?"

Giles nodded, "Yes, and you are…?"

"Nich, I'm Mr. Slayer's Seer." She smiled as they shook hands. "So you're a watcher huh?"

"Well, I was…"

* 

LA-Prison 

The dark steel of the prison bars moved out of the way to create a door for her to walk through. The Brunette smiled slightly as a middle-aged man welcomed her into the land of the free… or those on parole.

"Faith," He nodded to her. 

"Watcher?" She asked her face fallen. 

"What?" he asked taken back. She shook her head and smiled broadly.

"Never mind, so I hear I actually got a job to go with my teaching degree." She remembered the few years she had been working on achieving it with the support of her lawyer (one not belonging to Wolfram and Hart thanks to Angel's help… not only had her sentence been reduced but she had been able to finish high school and get a degree) and her councilor.

"Yes you did," He smiled as he led her through the prisons halls toward the outside world. She glanced at him and cocked her head to the side slightly.

"So, where is this miracle job of mine going to be?"

"Well Miss Wilkins, you will be teaching Physical Education at the new Sunnydale High in just a few months." He smiled broadly as he walked on.

Faith stopped in her tracks her face fallen and mouth open slightly. "Sunnydale? I should have guessed."

*

The man, who happened to be an officer, gave her a ride to Sunnydale and showed her to the apartment that she had been able to buy thanks to the Mayor having put her as his sole heir. At first she hadn't wanted the money but after a chat with Angel a few months ago, almost a year ago now that she thought about it, she had decided that she might be able to use the money for good. Mr. Krager set up an appointment for her a week from then to talk with her parole officer and neatly laid out the rules before he left.

Faith walked dumbly around the apartment running her hands across the different surfaces. There's a small TV in front of a blue couch with some light green pillows on it that contrast the pale violet of the walls. Whoever decorated the apartment needed to be shot. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and she fell back onto the smooth fluffy couch and hugged a lime green pillow to her chest. 

She was back in Sunnydale, not the place where her problems began but it was close enough. Someday soon she would probably run into Buffy or one of the Scooby's, or even more likely due to her new job, Buffys little sister Dawn. 

After a few minutes of staring up at a white ceiling she swung her legs over the edge of the couch and grabbed her purse. Now was as good a time as any to go for a new look.

Never once did it occur to Faith to wonder why her contact, the one who had kept in touch with her for so long had never called and hadn't even met her outside the prison.

The thought to wonder what had happened to the brooding vampire that when they first met she had tried to kill never occurred to her. She had started a new life, yes one in Sunnydale but for a time she could pretend to be normal. She could be a teacher, for a group of rebellious students, trying to make a living. She could, for a time, ignore her calling, even perhaps in Sunnydale.

*

LA-Off the shore 

The cold dark water of the pacific blocked the sunlight from cascading far enough to reach the rock and sand covered ocean floor. Small fish swam in schools to get away from larger fish as small things crawled across the ocean floor.

One such creature crawled across a metal box, a coffin. Inside a vampire lay in a deep trance trying to conserve energy. His skin was pale as chalk and it hung off his bones.

He hadn't fed in months and his demon had surfaced stretching the skin across his face even tighter. His fangs had pierced his lower lip sometime in the last month and for the first time in years his hair was flat against his head.

The creature moved on falling a ways as it tumbled off the coffin. It righted itself and continued silently on its way.

*

An apartment in Sunnydale 

Faith stepped into the shower and let the warm water run across her body washing away dirt and grime along with the dye she had used. She leaned her arms against the tile wall and let it beat across her back as she grieved for all the people she had lost in her old life, including those she had killed. Inside her mind she begged for forgiveness and hoped that in this new life she could do something right, something to save rather than to kill.

As she dried her self off she ran a towel across the long mirror on the back off the door to the bathroom and stared at her reflection. Her hair was now a light brown with a few blond streaks. Opening the door she stalked into her room to change. 

After her hair was completely dried and she was dressed she returned to survey herself in the mirror.

She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and had slipped in some blue contacts. She was wearing faded blue jeans and a light green sleeveless T-shirt and sneakers. She smiled broadly and tilted her head to the side.

"Hi, I'm Miss Wilkins. This as you can see is a class designed to get you in shape, now five laps around the gym… pronto!" She giggled after she spoke. "Maybe everything will be okay."

"Maybe being a grown up is hard work but getting there is a lot harder", chealsea, 14

To be continued in: _Slaying punching bags_

PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!! I really enjoy the feedback! ^_^ thanks all that do review, I love you guys!

_If you wish to get an email when I update I'll be posting updates at the following yahoo group:_

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	10. Part Nine Slaying Punching Bags 70 day

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: PG-13 for Agnst and ect. _(Spike will have guilt and feels remorse, more on that will be touched on in later chaps)_

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. _

Authors note: _Okay sorry it has taken me so long to post… I have three books I was supposed to read and take notes on all summer but I just started to read them cause I just got them. Lots of parts this week because schools starts in just over a week and I don't know how often I'll get a chance to write… the good/bad news is since my schools german teacher quit when it was to late to get a new one I have less homework than I was going to the bad news is I may lose my computer for the school year if my dad has his way and I really wanted to take German! Anyway, If I do lose my computer I will have a friend post all the parts I already have done for me. Then as soon as I get my computer back… or when I can sneak onto my moms computer I will type a bit and upload. One way or another this fic will be finished. Oh and I'm working on a part where you get to see a bit of buffy… though spikes still in egland in it. _

 TO THE STORY!

****

Part Nine

Slaying punching bags.

****

_70 days_

Nich held the bag steady wincing as Spike slammed his fist into it. The Slayer had woken up with a scream once more this morning and had proceeded to take out all his emotional stress on everything insight, including the bathroom door and the coffee pot. Nich steadied her self and adjusted her feet on the floor before Spike began another round of blows. 

"You think it's a good idea?" She asked swinging her ponytail behind her head.

"I don't really know." Spike responded shortly his un-gelled curly locks were plastered against his head a look of determination of his face. "Who knows what'll happen after Red finds out Pixies alive. It could be really good for her, or be even more painful."

Spike stepped back from the punching bag and swiped the back of his hand across his sweat soaked forehead. "Regardless of whether or not it's a good idea their going to meet sometime and Tara just figure it ought to be now."

Spike slammed his fist into the bag and began his assault on it once more. Nich sighed and shook her head.

"I wasn't talking about Tara going to see Willow," She said pointedly. "I was talking about you slaying our only punching bag."

*

_"Are you sure you want to do this?" Spike asked, as he looked Tara straight in the eye._

_The witched face contorted and she looked to the floor. "If I don't… and she finds out that I had this chance…" She trailed off as she looked up at Spike. "William, if I don't I'll be betraying her trust...  she may think me dead, but still…"_

_Spike nodded. "We're still here for another few weeks." He tilted his head to the side and smiled slightly. "You don't have to do this yet."_

_Tara returned the smile and shook her head. "If I don't, I might not have the nerve to confront her later."_

_Spike nodded and watched as his new friend stood and made her way to the door. Standing he walked over to the punching bag hanging from the ceiling in the corner and began to assault it with his fists._

_"Tara left already?" Nich asked exiting the bathroom._

*

Tara glanced up at the tall building as she stepped out of Giles car. The ex-watcher walked around to stand next to her. He glanced down at the brunette (blonde) witch and set a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Are you sure you're ready to see her?" 

Tara nodded slowly and followed Giles up the steps to the lobby of the covens main building. "Y-yah I'm r-ready."

*

"Tara said she'd be back late so I'm just going to skip patrol and go straight to bed… that is if that's alright with you." Nich stood yawning as she turned off the Television.

"Wha- Oh yah that's quite alright… I-I'll just do a quick patrol." Spike snapped himself out of his thoughts and stood quickly. He moved over to the weapons chest to get some stakes and Holy water. "You do that."

Nich nodded. "Okay, if you're sure… keep you're cell on in case I get a vision... wouldn't want someone to get in trouble cause I couldn't get a hold of you." Nich watched as Spike stared into the weapons chest after opening it. After a few moments of silence Nich continued. "You sure you're alright with that."

"Uh, yah." Spike straightened and grabbed a few stakes and a couple of bottles of holy water to place in his coat pockets. "I'm fine, with that."

"Okay, be careful." Nich called as he passed her and opened the door. "And don't get you're self killed!" 

Spike shut the door behind him and leaned heavily against it for a few seconds before heading down the streets toward a local cemetery and a few pubs. 

Nich stared at the closed door and slipped her hands into her pockets. "God please don't let him get killed." She glanced at the blank television screen before walking towards her room.

"I'd be out of a job if he did."

*

It was an uneventful patrol for the most part. Spike managed to stake all five vampires he ran into and snap the neck of a Kraggle-daphar demon that was trying to snack on a couple of stray cats. 

As he turned to head back home a sign on top of a pub caught his eye and he froze. As memories assaulted him from when he and Drusilla had been in town a few years before heading to Sunnydale.

_Spike stared across his drink at the bartender as he poured the liquid into a glass. The Pub was a bustle of people making small talk, flirting and just having fun. Spike grinned as he downed his shot and turned to the young lady that had just sat down next to him_

_She smiled brightly and ordered her own drink._

_"What's a sweet bird like yourself doing out here at this hour of the night?" Spike asked and tilted his head toward her."_

Spike continued on after a minute trying to block the memory from his mind as he headed back toward his flat. As he turned down a street he glanced around and realized he had taken a wrong turn. The building in front of him was familiar though… and it looked almost exactly as it had just over ten years ago…

_"So, this is you're place?" The woman who had said her name was Catherine asked sweetly as they walked into the Victorian style living room._

_"For now," Spike returned the smile, only one side of his mouth curled up however and made it into more of a smirk._

_"You must be pretty rich…"_

_"I have enough." He led her up another flight of stares and down the hall. Opening the door he revealed a perfectly decorated room. The bed had curtains of white lace, which draped down to the floor._

_"You're last girl friend like dolls?" Catherine asked touching one of the Miss Edith's cheek. She glanced up at Spike as he shut the door._

_"Well I wouldn't call 'er the last…" He glanced toward the bed as he made his way to Catherine. The girl leaned into him and wrapped her arms around his neck._

_"Well, it doesn't matter…" She purred sweetly as she leaned in to kiss him. Spike grabbed her hair and pulled her back from him and laughed._

_"Drusilla." He looked once more towards the bed as his 'last girlfriend' pulled a drape away and smiled sweetly at him. "Pet, I brought you you're supper. Aren't you Hungry?"_

_"Oh, isn't she pretty? The Stars told me she would be pretty…" Drusilla slowly made her way toward them. She vamped causing the girl t squeal. She looked into Catherine's eyes then up at Spike slowly and reached a hand out to pet the blonde humans hair. She coed softly then frowned. "I smell fear… it's so delicious." She tilted her head to look at spike as she leaned in to drink from Catherine's neck. "Can you taste it?"_

_Spike watched as Dru's fangs pierced Catherine's neck before vamping and leaning toward the other side. "Yah love that I can." And he smiled as he drank…_

Spike managed to stumble back to the flat and into his bed… tears flowed freely from his eyes as sobs wracked his body. As he drifted off other images played across his mind…

_"__Stop it... please... stop…don't… Spike, stop!"_

_"Ask me again why I could never love you."___

****

_Author Note: Spike is dealing with the soul… but he will **not **become Angel as I said earlier. By the time He gets to LA/Sunnydale he will have delt with most of the guilt._

To be continued in: _Seeing Red 2.0_

PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!! I really enjoy the feedback! ^_^ thanks all that do review, I love you guys!

_If you wish to get an email when I update I'll be posting updates at the following yahoo group:_

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	11. Part Ten Seeing Red 20 70 days

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: PG-13 for Agnst and ect. _(Spike will have guilt and feels remorse, more on that will be touched on in later chaps)_

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. _

Authors note: _Hey I posted YAY! ^_^ *dances with happiness* Hey ppl I just want tosay thanks for the reviews I really enjoy hearing if ppl like or dislike my story. Just so you know this has one big overall arc with mini-arcs along the way… currently im on the council arc and there is a purpose behind it. Have fun reading and I hope you enjoy seeing Willow again! ALSO if you want to be emailed when I post a new part just email me at the above email and put 'The first seconded' as the Subject._

Archiving: _Just ask. And place my author name and email with it. ^_^_

 TO THE STORY!

****

Part Ten 

Seeing Red 2.0

****

_70 days_

_Willow stared out the window in the main room of Xander's apartment as Giles and Xander conversed behind her. Tears still fell but the sobs that had wracked her body for days were gone. Outside Sunnydale was dark and dreary… to go with her mood it seemed to have had a storm come up over night._

_"No. She is staying here," Xander yelled causing Willow to wince and close her eyes. "She belongs here with her friends not in England in the hands of the watchers council or some Coven!"_

_"Don't be an idiot Xander there is no way to help her here!"_

_"We can't help her?" Xander snorted. "We're her friends! We can help her through this better than somebody she doesn't even know!"_

_"Like you did last time?" Giles didn't even bother to remove his glasses. "Her power is nearly unimaginable Xander! What if some evil force decides to take advantage over that fact? Willow is in a terrible state of emotional disarray which could easily be taken advantage of!"_

_"There is no way I'm letting her leave." Xander replied ignoring all of Giles points. "She is staying and that's-"_

_"No."_

_Xander turned toward Willow who was standing. "What?"_

_Willow's eyes moved tiredly from the floor to meet her best friends. "No." She glanced at Giles. "Xander Giles is right. I have to go to England… there's no way I can be helped here."_

_"But-"_

_"Resolve face." Willow stated simply before turning her body toward Giles. "When do we leave?"_

_"We leave in two hours… you need to pack-"_

_"No." Willow shook her head. "I'd rather not go… someone can send my things later."_

_Giles nodded and motioned her toward the door._

A pale hand whipped across the fogged up mirror in front of her and Willow stared at the image of herself. Tired pain filled green eyes with heavy dark shadows beneath them stared back at her as the cleared space began to fog up once more. Willow ran a hand through her wet hair and wrapped a dark blue towel around her body before making her way out of the bathroom and to her dresser. 

The red head slipped on some clothes, simple blue jeans and a white tank top with a cartoon kitten on the front. It was one of the shirts Xander had packed into the bag that had been sent after her not long after she had arrived in England. 

As Willow pulled her long hair into a ponytail the door to her room opened and Salvina entered the room her soft dark blue robes moving eerily around her. She smiled sweetly at Willow as the red haired with glanced up at her.

"You have visitors Willow."

Willow nodded slowly. Giles was due to come visit that day, he came at least once a week and had been too bus to make it the week before. Though why shed have more than one visitor she didn't know… perhaps Giles had brought Olivia with her?

As Willow walked down the hall toward the lounge her fingers grazed across the enchanted bracelet she wore.

_Willow sat at a wooden table in front of an aging man who smiled at her his bright blue eyes twinkling._

_"Hello Willow welcome to the Coven. We've been waiting for you to arrive."_

_"You want to help me." Willow stated more than asked as she stared blankly at her hands that set together in her lap._

_"Yes. We do." The man tilted his head as he observed her._

_"I've done horrible things… You want to bind my power."_

_He laughed. His laughter echoed slightly in the room due to the higher ceilings. Willows head shot up and she stared at her._

_"Little girl you are wrong… we couldn't bind you're power if we wanted to. It's against the natural order of things." He reached into a drawer searching for something._

_"Magic isn't natural."_

_"No its not, but Magic does have rules… and one of them is on the binding of powers. If we were to bind yours a balance that you're powers are a part of would be broken. So the binding will and could not happen without dangerous consequences."_

_"Then what will happen to me?" Willow glanced toward a long window that let light into the small room._

_A placed a small wooden box on his desk and opened it. Inside was an intricately emblazoned gold band inlayed with red and green crystals._

_"This will siphon you're powers away from you and into the world. You will slowly be taught how to use magic once more. You will learn how to use it as any normal apprentice here starts out with the basics." He picked up the bracelet and slipped it onto Willows wrist. It immediately adjusted to fit comfortably around her wrist just small enough so there was no way to remove. "Over time you will regain more and more of your strength till finally the bracelet will just fall off and shatter. Till then you're magic will be limited in quantity."_

Salvina opened the door to the lounge and smiled slightly as Willow walked through in front of her.

Willows body froze as she saw who had come to visit her. Giles of course had come but next to him… "Tara?" Willow asked quietly fresh tears began to fall silently down her face.

"Yeah baby, it's really me." Tara replied softly smiling. 

The red head moved slowly toward her lost love reaching tentative shaking hand to touch Tara's cheek. Tara reached her own hand up and covered Willows hand and held it in place.

"H-how?" Willow stammered looking Tara over trying to see how it could be her lover.

"It wasn't my time. The powers had a purpose for me," Tara reached out with her free hand to wipe away tears from Willows cheek with her thumb. "I'm so sorry I left baby."

Willow smiled for the first time and nodded as a sob wracked her body. Her legs gave out and Tara caught her in her arms. The pair sunk to the floor together both weeping. 

Various conversations in the room were relocated and Giles watched from across the room smiling as he wiped his glasses clean.

****

_Author Note: Sorry this was kind of shorter than most… this one and the next part are both kind of short but its because they don't go with the parts before or after them… the next part is kind of a transition piece and this one we have the intro to Willow and whats been going on with her. So I hope you enjoyed it and PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! ^_^_

To be continued in: _'Did I get them?'_

PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!! I really enjoy the feedback! ^_^ thanks all that do review, I love you guys!

_If you wish to get an email when I update I'll be posting updates at the following yahoo group:_

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	12. Part Eleven 'Did I get them' 65 days,

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: PG-13 for Agnst and ect. _(Spike will have guilt and feels remorse, more on that will be touched on in later chaps)_

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. _

Authors note: _This starts up after Willow has healed enough to handle herself and has already found out about Spike… I had to skip ahead other wise this story would go extremely slow… this chap is a transition into a different area of the story…. I hope you enjoy! I also want to thank my reviewers, I love reading reviews! ^_^ I hope you enjoy this… I will have another part up tomorrow because this really has nothing to do with the plot… so look around tomorrow afternoon for part twelve!_

 TO THE STORY!

****

**Part Eleven**

**_'Did I get them?'_**

****

_65 days_

Spike was breathing heavily as he ran; the vampire was about 5 yards ahead of him and weaving through the headstones quickly. He flipped over one landing just ahead of the vampire. It stopped and growled at him showing her fangs. 

"You made a big mistake trying to eat me ducks." Spike smirked as they began to circle each other.

"Who made the bigger mistake _hunter_? You're no match for a master Vampire." She replied shortly as she flipped her long red hair away from her bumpy forehead.

"You a master?" Spike laughed shaking his head. "You can't be more than a decade old."

"I was sired in 1978, I have five childer-" She glanced down at her stomach as an arrow pierced it she laughed as it had obviously missed her heart. "Awe shi-" She was reduced to dust before she could finish the curse. Spike placed his stake into a hidden pocket in his jacket and stood up straight.

"Thanks Red." Spike glanced up as Willow and Tara jogged up. 

"You're welcome Sp-William." Willow nodded cringing. "Sorry I missed the heart."

"That's alright, it distracted her," Spike replied. "Your aim is getting better."

"I'm still practically helpless in a fight though." She replied quietly.

"No you're not!" Tara touched her shoulder frowning. "How can you think that?"

"It's just I'm not anything special anymore. No magic, and me with out magic? Geekapalooza."

"Can't be worse than I was before I was turned." Spike replied as the trio began to walk out of the cemetery.  

"Wanna bet? You were like this 19th century nobleman-"

"Who sat around writing awful poetry, got beat up when he was younger and was afraid of the dark." Spike patted her on the back. "Don't worry I think I have you beat in the ex-geek area. Sides by the time you get back to Sunnydale old Rupert will have you staking Vampires right and left."

"Plus you should be able to do the ball of sunlight spell!" Tara smiled giving Spike a pointed look.

"Right! And you can throw that into the Vampires chest, right through the heart. Great way to kill 'em!"

*

_64 days_

 "So how'd I do?" Nich asked glancing around blind folded. Her fingers itched to remove it but Spike and Giles still wouldn't let her. 

"Once more." Spike replied replacing the staff into her hand.

"Fine, but this time I want to know how I did." Nich twirled it in her hand closing her eyes under the black blindfold.

"Alright, begin." Giles called from the side of the room.

Tara reached out and grabbed willows hand guiding her through an illusion spell helping her learn it. Willow barely had enough power to create one Vampire look alike again as Tara created three of her own. The illusion vamps circled Nich their game faces on. 

Nich swallowed and spun connecting her staff into one of the illusion-vamps stomachs sending it 'flying' to the floor. She ducked as one sent a fist over her head and knocked the feet out from under a third. The fourth grabbed her from behind and she swung her staff around colliding it behind her back with the illusion-vamps backbone. It fell foreword on her heavily causing her to fall to the ground under it. She managed to roll away as she hit her foot remaining under it. The vamp she had knocked to the ground and the one who had tried to punch her grabbed her shoulders and she flipped kicking each of their faces.

Nich grabbed a stake and rammed it into one of their hearts before the third vamp kicked her square in the back. Her hand touched her staff and she grabbed it and slammed it up into the oncoming illusion-vampires chest. Willow relaxed and let her illusion fade away to nothing as Tara controlled the remaining two. The teen stood in a fighting staff still waiting for the slight rush of air that would tell her the next illusion-vampire was near.

_(Note- the spell crates a hologram type thing so you can touch and feel and ect the illusions… you can even hear 'footsteps')_

The two remaining ones came at her from opposite sides simultaneously and she spun her staff hitting one upside the head and the other in the 'heart.' She then slammed the staff into the last vamp as it went to get up. 

Tara sighed as she dropped the final illusion. 

Nich stepped back and waited for a few seconds. "So did I get them?"

"What kind of demon did you say are you half of?"

Nich shrugged, "I didn't?"

*

Spike sat heavily on the couch after having taken a shower. Nich sat next to him her head leaning on her hand as she watched some British soap opera. Willow and Tara had already left to return to the coven for Willows lessons that afternoon.

"So Watcher, how'd I do?" Spike asked tiredly as he glanced at Giles who was staring at his notes.

"Well you certainly have the strength, stamina, endurance and agility of a slayer," Giles glanced up at him. "And your scores on the endurance running, length of time, distance, and speed, are almost identical with," Giles hesitated for a few seconds. "Buffy's."

Spike nodded, "So I am a Slayer in you're book."

"Really? Which one did better?" Nich asked at the same time Spike spoke.

Giles ignored her and Spike glared at her, "Yes, I do believe you are a Slayer."

"Well its about time Rupert… I was wondering how much longer you were going to test me."

"Spike," Giles began. "William, you have to understand that this isn't a joking matter."

"I wasn't joking." 

"You have some serious decisions to make, such as do you want the council to know about you-"

Spike laughed, "Yah do I want the council of wankers to make me a test subject? The answers no and will stay that way."

"You also have to decide if you want the under world finding out about your new status, most likely many demons already know."

Nich nodded, "He's right Will, I mean you've been slaying demons and vamps… not to mention helping people get away from them for several months now."

"I've helped people for several years now, I helped out in Sunnydale didn't I?" Spike replied standing up. 

Nich shook her head, "This is different. This time the vamps you slay are going after you for food. You have a heartbeat now, which many demons, even _I_ can hear. So don't go telling me no ones going to notice cause yah they will. Not to mention the demons who can smell your soul."

Spike walked across the room to the table and ran his hand along a knife, which had been placed there at some point that day.

"Nich is right William, you can't hide the fact that you're human." Giles stood slowly picking up his books and placing them in bag. "You breathe, you're heart beats, you have a tan…" Giles trailed off. "I must be off, Anya is teleporting in to talk about the progress on remodeling the shop."

Spike nodded as Giles left.

"So," Nich bit her lip. "What are you going to do?"

Spike glanced toward the teen and closed his eyes. He shook his head slowly trying to clear it. "I have no idea."

*

"Have you found him?" Quentin asked as Devon entered the room.

"Yes sir, we think we have."

"Good, bring him in then." Quentin smiled and opened up another report.

"Sir, we have reason to believe that Rupert Giles has been having contact with the ex-vampire." 

"Why am I not surprised?" Quentin shook his head. "No matter, ignore him and continue with the mission. I want William the bloody brought in."

****

_Author Note: Okay this is a transition piece… kind of a between piece to show how life has been going… as you can probably tell Willow is fairing better and not a depressed. And this part added a bit about Nich's demonness… you'll get to see more of that later and by part nineteen you will see all members of the S6 scooby gang and then some… though not all on the same continents. Oh and by the way I love invader Zim! It's the coolest cartoon evah! And they canceled it GRRR!_

To be continued in: _Everybody needs a Social Life_

Please, please, please, please, please review!!!! I REALLY ENJOY ANY COMMENTS YOU HAVE, REALLY TRUALLY I DO! So please humor me and at least say 'Hi' so I know you read it! 

_If you wish to get an email when I update I'll be posting updates at the following yahoo group:_

_http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thestarsthevoicesBSERS/_

_or_

_ email me at falcon_rider@hotmail.com with the subject: The First Seconded Updates and I'll send you an email that way._


	13. Part Twelve Everybody needs a Social Li

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: PG-13 for Agnst and ect. _(Spike will have guilt and feels remorse, more on that will be touched on in later chaps)_

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. _

Authors note: _Okay I wanna thank Spike's Little brother for all his support and patience, around this time I had writers block and he put up with me trying to brainstorm ways to get to the point of this arc of my story and even helped me come up with how exactly part of this part played out. So thanks SLB! Check out his fics under the Author Name: Spike's Little Brother for a change from the happy go lucky Spike-brooding post gave story especially if you wanna see a big bad Spike/William and also happen to like Mortal Combat. Anyway Thanks for all those who review… especially those that review every chapter (SunnyD) I love reviews I love any sort of feedback! ^_^ Thanks again and now onto the story!_

 TO THE STORY!

****

**Part Twelve**

**_Everybody needs a Social Life_**

****

_61 days_

Spike grabbed his coat and a stake after putting his plate away. Nich and Tara watched him from the table where they were still eating.

"Going it alone tonight?" Nich asked after she had finished chewing. "You know that can't be good your social life… or lack their of."

"Do you have a point?" Spike frowned at her. "And since when do I not have a social life?"

"I started out with one," Nich bit her lip as she thought. "Since… oh… ever?"

"Uh huh right, and you hang around here because of my lack of socializing."

"No, I hang out here cause you have a Television." Nich rolled her eyes. "Are you going to patrol or what?"

"Uh yah," Spike glanced at Tara who was holding back her laughter. "Maybe we should talk about getting rid of the telly, perhaps then the annoying one would go away." He glanced pointedly at Nich whose look of mirth had turned into a death trap. "Later kids."

"Bye William, be back before dawn!" Tara called after him.

"And don't get yourself killed!" Nich added.

*

Spike sat in front of a fresh grave playing with the stake he held in his hand. "You know, I don't have all night, well actually I do, but you better rise soon Or I might just soak your grave with holy water and see how much you like that!" Spike stood quickly as a hand reached up through the dirt of the grave toward the sky.

"'bout bloody time." Spike readied the stake his lips pursed tightly as the vampire pulled itself free of the dirt and mud. 

Spike rammed the stake home and the vampire was dust. Spike sighed as stood and brushed vamp dust from his cloths. "Well that was boring." He flinched as he felt something pinch his neck.

"What the bloody hell?" Reaching up he clutched his neck and pulled out a dart. "Oh sh-"

*

"Oh shit!" Nich's eyes widened and she dropped the dishes she was had been carrying to the kitchen. They clattered to the floor and the glass broke sending thousands of tiny shards all over the floor. 

Tara grabbed her arm as the visions continued. "Nich! What do you see?"

Nich turned her gaze looking up at Tara, "William. He's been Slayer-napped."

*

Devon and another man lifted Spike rolled up in a blanket into the back of a black van. He slammed the door shut as another man unrolled the blanket and secured Spike in the van so that if he were to wake up he wouldn't be able to run.

Devon pulled out a cell phone and dialed quickly, "Sir we have him."

*

_"You don't come near the girl, doc." Spike stood on the tower fist clenched._

_Doc turned to him and tilted his head. "I don't smell a soul anywhere on you. Why do you even care?"_

_Spike clenched his jaw; "I made a promise to a lady."_

_"Oh?" Doc's tongue shot out and spike ducked aside. The elder demon dropped to his knees and pulled spikes legs out from beneath him causing Spike to fall to the 'ground'.  Doc pulled Spike up and pinned the Vampires arms behind him. "Then I'll send the lady your regrets." He said as he pushed Spike._

_Spike looked a Dawn a pained look on his face as he whispered. "No."_

_Dawn screamed as Spike fell toward the ground. "No!"_

_Spike managed to pull himself to where the others were gathered his body ached of broken bones. He stared at the body and felt himself break inside as he began to cry tears running down his cheeks._

_The others cried as well clinging to each other for support._

_Buffy was dead._

*

"Buffy!" Spike screamed as he shot awake. He glanced around realizing that he wasn't at the flat or in Sunnydale at the bottom of the tower. He took a shaky breath as he took in his surroundings. It was quite obviously a prison cell of some sort, a small cot to one side and a small curtained off toilet. 

The Door at the side of the room opened and three men entered the room. The first two carried tranquilizer guns and the third Spike recognized at the head of the watchers council Quentin Travers. "William the bloody, my what a pleasant surprise."

"Surprise my ass, you kidnapped me." Spikes jaw was clenched tightly his cheekbones clearly visible, they looked as if they were as sharp as knives in the dim lighting from the hall.

Travers laughed a deep but sharp barking laugh. "Yes, well we have quite a reason. You have been claiming to be a slayer and as the council of watchers we find a need to investigate you. You see, as you most obviously already know slayers are female. And you are male."

"What you checked mate? How very rude of you to do that," Spike looked the man straight in the eyes unwavering as Travers scowled.

"William while you are here you will be tested. We must find out if your are telling us the truth."

"Of course, can I speak to Rupert Giles? He used to be a member of the council, or is he again… I can never quite remember correctly." Spike slipped his hands into his pockets. "My memory seems to have gotten worse as I age… do you think I might have Alzheimer's?" Spike jumped knocking Travers down as he was shot with a dart by each of the two guardsmen.

Travers stood and brushed himself off as Spikes vision began to blur. "Get him on the bed, as soon as he wakes up take him _chained_ to the infirmary and begin the tests."

One of the guards dropped his gun on the floor and grabbed Spike under the arms and pulled him to the low cot.

*

"Who would do this?" Willow asked motioning to the spell book in front of her. "It's a pointless spell."

Her teacher sighed and shook her head. "It is not a pointless spell, it can come in quite handy."

"Really," Willow folded her arms across her chest. "When."

"Well, say you are-" Salvina was cut off as Tara entered the room quickly.

"I'm sa-sorry to interrupt." She glanced apologetically at the two.

"Tara," Willow stood a frown on her face. "What's wrong?"

"William, he-he's been kidnapped."

"What?"

****

_Author Note: This was a short chapter… I just noticed that, oh well erm… later chaps increase slightly in size this was one of my shorter ones…. Anyway tomorrow or the next day the next part will be up, and if my parents decide no computer privileges all the parts I have completed will be up on Tuesday or Wednesday… they still haven't decided on that and its torture cause I don't know what's going to happen with my computer. :( Oh and here's a hint at the plot of the story… you may get it, you may not: Invader Zim is my favorite cartoon, my favorite character is Skoodge. ^_^_

To be continued in: _Doctor knows best_.__

Please, please, please, please, please review!!!! I REALLY ENJOY ANY COMMENTS YOU HAVE, REALLY TRUALLY I DO! So please humor me and at least say 'Hi' so I know you read it! 

_If you wish to get an email when I update I'll be posting updates at the following yahoo group:_

_http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thestarsthevoicesBSERS/_

_or_

_ email me at falcon_rider@hotmail.com with the subject: The First Seconded Updates and I'll send you an email that way._


	14. Part Thirteen Doctor knows best 60 day

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: PG-13 for Agnst and ect. _(Spike will have guilt and feels remorse, more on that will be touched on in later chaps)_

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. _

Authors note: You guys will probably hate me by the time I'm done with this arc but I'm writing what I'm writing for the sake of the overall plot… plus I hate the council… and I have no idea what I'm doing with the LA characters… ((off to watch a few episodes of Angel and try to get Fred and Gunns characters down)) If anyone knows a good fic that characterizes them well please let me know… cause I'm kinda unsure of myself when it comes to using them… Anyway thanks for the reviews everyone! ^_^ I love getting feedback!!!!__

 TO THE STORY!

****

**Part Thirteen**

**_Doctor knows best_**

****

_60 days_

"There, that didn't even hurt, did it?" A young woman held a syringe filled with fresh blood in font of her face. She smiled at Spike. "We'll get this off to the lab…. do you want a regular band aid or a cartoon one?" 

Spike growled as she held the plane beige and the colorful Invader Zim one in front of his face. 

"Hmm, well I'll just give you a cartoon one, that will perk you up." She smiled sweetly as she placed it on his arm where she had drawn the blood. Spike jerked reflexively and pulled at the chains that bound him to the hospital bed, she just ignored him.

*

"Why would someone _want_ to kidnap him?" Willow asked glancing around at her friends.

"Well William is the first of his kind, an actual male slayer. As soon as his existence got out to the demon populace and even some humans many cults and demon factions would be after him for various reasons," Giles had removed his glasses and had begun inspecting them as he talked.

"Yah, like seeing how good he tastes, I knew I should have gone with him on patrol." Nich laid her head on her arms, which were folded on the table.

Tara watched Nich and sighed, the girl was blaming this on herself. "Guys we need to figure out who has him and where."

"We'll have to ask around at the local haunts, see what groups are in town… any gossip on a group going after a slayer or hunter." Giles walked over to the bookcase that held some of the research books.

Willow nodded and stood up. "I can start researching on my trusty lap top, you know the one Nich didn't crash last week."

"Hey." Nich suddenly straightened.

"Well you did crash it, its not like I'm throwing the blame around, you came to me and said-"

"I know I crashed your lap top," Nich shook her head. "They were human."

"Oh good." Willow smiled. "What?"

"They were human?" Tara asked she touched the girls shoulder and Nich glanced at her. "Are you sure?"

"Positive." She looked over at Giles. "They were wearing black and had tranquilizer guns. I saw one of the vans in my vision too. I couldn't make out the license plate."

"You just remembered this?" Giles asked.

"You try getting a load of info implanted into your brain and see how easy it is to sort it all out," She frowned. "Its not as easy as I seem to be able to make it sound."

"So they're human, that means they probably have a base of operations," Tara smiled and she and Willow exchanged a look.

"Which helps us out how? We still have to find them." Nich raised her eyebrows and glanced between the two witches.

"We could do an uh," Willow bit her lip.

"Locator spell, a small one. As long as William is relatively in one place Willow should be able to do it." Tara turned her gaze to Giles who was staring at the book in his hand. The room fell into an awkward silence till the ex-watcher nodded.

"Yes, that might be a good idea, Willow are you sure your up to it?"

She gave him a small smile as she nodded. "Yes. They taught me how to do it last week in class."

"Well then why don't you and Tara go retrieve the supplies? Nich and I will stay here and research."

*

Travers glanced up as Emma McFowell the doctor he had had check the ex-vampire. She smiled as she held a manila folder out to him. 

"The results are in," She said as he took it from her. "I thought you might like to see them."

"Yes of course, so he is human?" He asked as he glanced over pages of medical information.

"More or less. The tests show that he is indeed a male version of a slayer. The b-"

"Yes, are there any other tests you need to perform?" He glanced up at her.

"Not till tomorrow," She tilted her head causing her short black hair to fall around her face. "You still want the procedure done?"

Travers glanced at the papers in front of him, "Yes, I do."

"Alright then, it'll proceed tomorrow afternoon." She smiled sweetly, her blue eyes brightening. "Thank you so much for letting me have the pleasure of doing this, I won't let you down sir."

After she had left the office, still brightly smiling, Travers smiled himself, "No you won't."

*

Willow grabbed a bag of herbs off the shelf and stared at it. So many things had happened in the last few months, her life had changed drastically leaving her a new person. She found her mind wandering back to when she had been in high school. She had been a geek, teachers pet, nerd… those were only a few of the terms she had been labeled with. That had changed in just a few years though; sure she was still a good student and still got called a genius or geek at times but she had began to delve into magic. The powerful art had made her more self confident and eventually she had began to use it for more than just to protect people or slay demons. 

The Art had become a crutch that was something she didn't want to happen again, she was scared to death that it would happen again and that this time perhaps nothing would be able to pull her back from the darkness.

"Willow?" Tara's voice cut into her thoughts causing the red head to jump slightly. "You have the bracken root?"

"Uh yah." She held it up and smiled sheepishly. "Yep, right here."

"Good. I have the other supplies," She nodded to her full arms. "So lets go pay for everything and head back to the apartment."

"Yah, let's do that." As she followed her love a twinge of pain and regret shot through her. About five months ago Tara had been killed, murdered by a man by the name of Warren. That was what had caused her spiral into the darkness, Tara's death. She had avenged her lover by skinning the man alive and had then proceeded to head after the other members of their group. Vengeance, that's what it had been- her reason for murdering a human being. She had killed out of pure rage, out of vengeance… and never once had felt bad about it till she saw her love alive, standing before her, alive.

*

"I got a map." Nich announced unfolding it onto the dinner table. She glanced over to where the ex-watcher Giles was going through some of the research books. 

"Awe, yes… thank you Nich." He nodded absently.

"Do you think Willow and Tara will be back soon?" She asked as she tried to get a look at one of the books he had in his hand. There was a picture of a demon and text along with various symbols. He moved the book at an Angle where she couldn't see it very well.

"Yes I'm sure they'll be back soon."

"Why do you do that?" She asked suddenly.

Giles glanced up and frowned, "What am I doing?"

"Moving things away so I can't see, trying to not get me directly involved with the research. You made me go down to the corner shop and get another map… granted it's slightly larger than the one we have here but still…" She sighed. "The other one would have done just as well."

"I am not-" Nich cut him off with a look and he sighed. "You're a child, there's still a chance that you can go do-"

"What have a normal life? Yah sure," She rolled her eyes. "If you don't remember I get visions, as in I'm a direct link to the Powers That Be. Also, half demon here… I tried the normal life scene, it didn't work out… if it had I wouldn't be here."

Giles shook his head, "There are still something's that are inappropriate for a child your age- hey!"

Nich backed off a few steps and snorted as she read the book that she held in her hand, "The life styles of a Derigon demon clan? Oh a picture of the mating ritual. Hmm… I can tell you one thing pops, these guys didn't do this… the Derigon demons may have a back history of violence but they were pretty much wipped out about six years ago when a group of Gebion demon slaughtered they main clans. Those that remain are scatters, its not only pretty hard to find a full blood but also finding more than two or three together in one place unless its within a few months of a birthing, not gonna happen."

"How did you?"

"Knew one growing up," She glanced at the door as Willow and Tara walked through.

"We have everything we need… so lets get started." Tara told them putting her bags on the table.

"Great," Nich smiled. "The sooner we find William the sooner we can all beat him up for being stupid.

*

Spike was completely drained by the time he fell to the ground pulling the tab from the treadmill and bringing it to a stop. His vision was blurred slightly and his chest heaving as he stared up at the off-white dusty ceiling of the council training room. His muscles ached and his head hurt. 

The 'good' doctor stood over him and looked down smiling widely at him. "Very good William." She spoke to him as if speaking to a small child and it had begun to irk the male slayer. "Your endurance is white amazing!"

He watched as she wrote some notes on the note pad she carried. Spikes head rolled back and he shut his eyes as a wave of nausea rolled over him. It was one of the things he hated about being human. He could get sick.

She smiled again as two of the guards hauled him up. She walked over and patted his head, "Don't worry you'll be up and about and pretty perky tomorrow! Just in time for the big surprise!" She giggled and motioned for the guards to take him back to his cell.

****

_Author Note: Poor Spike! I mean that doctors like insane or something! Lets see so far my parents have made no move to remove the computer from my room so YAY… Now if its gone tomarow I'll pout, kick and scream…if it does leave I'll have a friend post a note for me tomarow, if theres no note expect another part on Friday or Saturday… I wanna type up part 20 before I post another part so I know if I have to change/add something…_

To be continued in: _When the sand runs out…_

As always please review! Any feedback is welcome, along with comments or suggestions!

^_^ 

_If you wish to get an email when I update I'll be posting updates at the following yahoo group:_

_http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thestarsthevoicesBSERS/_

_or_

_ email me at falcon_rider@hotmail.com with the subject: The First Seconded Updates and I'll send you an email that way._


	15. Part Fourteen When the sand runs out 6

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: _PG-13 for Agnst and ect. __And CD___

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. _

Authors note: _You guys will probably hate me by the time I'm done with this arc but I'm writing what I'm writing for the sake of the overall plot… plus I hate the council… and I have no idea what I'm doing with the LA characters… ((off to watch a few episodes of Angel and try to get Fred and Gunns characters down)) If anyone knows a good fic that characterizes them well please let me know… cause I'm kinda unsure of myself when it comes to using them… Anyway thanks for the reviews everyone! ^_^ I love getting feedback!!!!_

 TO THE STORY!

****

**Part Fourteen**

**_When the sand runs out…_**

****

_60 days_

Tara held her hand over the map and continued the chanting as Willow held a candle before her. The red haired witch chanted with her lover but in a simpler dialect. The twos voices were harmonic creating an eerie melody.

Nich shivered involuntarily as she watched and glanced over to where the oldest member of the group watched with interest. She glanced back at the wiccans as Tara dropped the small stone down toward the map. If she hadn't been able to see in the dark Nich wouldn't have seen what happened next for willow had blown out the candle. 

The stone seemed to float in mid air before a spark of green met a spark of dim red and guided it to its resting place. Nich stood up from where she leaned against the wall and waited as Willow and Tara's chanting died off slowly. The seer slipped her hands into her pockets and bit her lip. She may have been privy to magic lessons, and seeing it used… even been apart of it and fought against it… but it still gave her a weird feeling. She hated magic. And had a good reason to.

"Giles would you please turn on the lights?" Tara's voice broke through Nich's thoughts and the seer glanced over to where Giles was and noticed he was standing next to the light switch.

"Of course." He said as he fumbled trying to find the switch.

"A little up and to the left," Nich told him and watched as he flipped the switch on. Nich turned her gaze toward the map that Willow and Tara where bent over. 

Giles walked across the room and knelt down next to the witches and frowned. The ex-watcher glanced up and Tara anger shown clearly on his face. "The Watchers council."

"The watchers council?!" Nich stepped away from the wall. "How did they find out?"

Willow brushed of her jeans as she stood and walked over to the seer. "The Council has a lot of contacts… and considering William has been in London fighting vampires almost every night it's no wonder they eventually found out."

"What would they want with him though?" Tara asked frowning she glanced over to Giles. 

"He is a Slayer. And if they found out that he is one they may try to bring him in and train… or tell if he is telling the truth of his existence."

Nich paled, the pupils of her eyes narrowed and her jaw clenched, "You mean test him. Make him a guinea pig."

"The council may test his blood and physical strength yes but they'd have no reason to keep him after they've confirmed he is a Slayer, would they?" Willow asked quietly.

"It doesn't matter," Tara walked over to the table that the research books had been strewn across. "We have to get him out of there, he's key to the upcoming apocalypse… all of us are."

"So how are we going to get into the council undetected?" Nich asked after a few minutes of silence. 

"There are ways," Giles answered her. "Some that Travers probably doesn't even know about."

"And you know one or two of these ways?"

"Giles here was quite the juvenile delinquent in his day," Willow answered smiling. She glanced down at the map and laughed slightly. "I guess that does come in handy now a days… sometimes anyway."

"Yes, well I can assure you I can get us in safely. I'm not so sure about getting out though."

"Willow and I can handle the getting out part. As long as we're all prepared for some serious fighting," Tara said.

"And maybe some protecting as well," Nich added. She hated the idea of her friend not being the one doing the protecting but it was always a possibility that William may be out of commission. "Who knows what they've done to him… we have to be ready for anything."

*

_59 days_

"Wakey wakey William darling." Was the first thing Spike heard as his mind cleared and he awoke. At first there was confusion at his whereabouts but the sudden pain in his arm cleared his mind quickly and he jerked up against the restraints. Something was wrong. A wave of nausea passed over him and he choked. His arms ached and he strained against the restraints to no avail.

Emma smiled as she watched him and chuckled. Some days she loved her job. Turning away from him she placed the needle back into its wooden case and tsked as she realized she would have to send for some more of the liquid.

"What did you do to me?" Spike choked out as he watched his 'doctor.' He felt weak and vulnerable, as his muscles seemed to be unresponsive.

"What did I do to you?" She asked sweetly. "Why nothing Willy, just gave you a shot. After all we may never know where you were when you were a vampire. You may have caught some dreadful disease!"

Spikes head swam some how what she said made no sense. Vampires couldn't get diseases. Well none that he knew of anyway. "Couldn't… get sick." He choked out.

"Why of course you could." She laughed at him. "All creatures can get sick. Even Slayers… and it seems that you may have had a bad reaction to your medicine."

Spikes mind swam before it slowly began to clear once more. He managed to focus on the crazy young woman's face before him as she smiled sweetly. "That wasn't medicine."

"Why no it wasn't." the comment was laced with giggles that did not help Spikes foul mood. "Of course not… we can't have you fighting us though. It's a simple muscle relaxant… you would get it if once you turn eighteen anyway. But of course you're probably older than that. What are you 120 years old? Plus about 25 years as a human?" She laughed heartily for a moment before she patted him on the shoulder and held a lollypop in front of his face. "You've been a very good boy."

Spike growled at her as a deep feeling of dread coursed through him. What did they not want him to be able to fight them for? What was going to happen?

*

"Are you sure this will get us in?" Nich asked kneeling in front of a trap door in the London sewer system. She had come to decision after less than a minute after first climbing into the dark murky place that she hated it. Plus there was that smell...

Giles nodded as he raised his flashlight letting it travel across old crumbling bricks and old pipes. "Yes it is up there… I would go first but…"

"I'll go," Nich volunteered slipping the door open. "I'm the one with night vision after all."

"Be careful," Tara called after her in a whisper.

"When am I not?" Came the reply. The three adults glanced at each other worry plain in their eyes.

*

Spike was pushed to his knees by the much bigger guard. He glared at the man who had pushed him down then turned his gaze toward Quentin who stood a few feet in front of him. "_Travers_." The ex-vampire growled his hate for the man in front of him coating the word harshly.

Travers chuckled. "Yes, I am. And you are William the bloody also known as Spike. You have changed much, last time I heard you were a master Vampire. A slayer of Slayers."

"Yah, well guess I've been upgraded." Spike replied shortly. Travers looked him over and stepped closer.

"Yes, an amazing thing at that." He shook his head. "A vampire becoming a slayer… please tell me how this is possible."

"I would never tell you such a thing." Spike replied shortly. He watched as Travers walked across the room and trailed his fingers across a group of books. After a few minutes he found what he was looking for and crossed the room to his desk. Flipping the book opened he smiled as he found what he had been looking for. "What's that?"

"This?" Travers indicated the book. "A spell used to locate things or people."

Spikes face-hardened and worry laced through him, what if he found Nich or Tara? The witch had been resurrected and Nich was a seer. Both the council could probably find valuable.  "What or who are you looking for?"

Travers nodded to Emma McFowell the doctor walked behind spike and knelt down next to him a smile ever existent on her face. Spike tilted his head toward her his eyes slitted. 

"You've been such a good boy William." She patted his head. He growled as she smoothed his hair against his head. "You've been my favorite patient ever." Her smile never failed as she wrapped an arm around his shoulders and half a cloth to his mouth. 

Spike struggled against her uselessly. He found himself staring up into Emma's eyes as his brain began to wander… his thoughts were clouded and everything seemed to be in slow motion. The doctor blinked automatically and all throughout what she was doing the same bright smile stayed on her face. "Don't worry dearie it will all be over soon. All the pain will be gone."

Fake, the word rushed into the forefront of his mind as blackness began to descend. Everything about the woman holding the cloth over his face, the woman that was killing him was fake. 

He tried to fight but his mind was wandering and he found himself looking into the darkness and welcoming it. It was what he had sought for, a thought drifted into his mind as he fell into the darkness. Words he had said only a few years before.

_Part of you is desperate to know...  
What's it like? Where does it lead you? That's also a warrior's question. _

_A warrior's curiosity._

_  
So you see, that's the secret.  
Not the punch she didn't throw or the kick she didn't land. She simply wanted it._

_Every Slayer has a death wish.___

****

_Author Note: THIS IS NOT THE END!!! And Cliffhanger… something I hate but hey kinda necessary.. Buffy comes in next chap…erm… Don't hurt me? Please? And my computer hasn't been taken! YET!  So that's good at least…_

To be continued in: _Times up._

As always please review! Any feedback is welcome, along with comments or suggestions!

^_^ 


	16. Part Fifteen Times up 59 days

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: _PG-13 for Agnst and ect. __And CD___

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. _

Authors note: _SO **SORRY** On the late update! Erm its all from Buffys POV if ur confused. And Im going to update once or twice a week from here on out_

 TO THE STORY!

****

**Part Fifteen**

**_Times up._**

****

_59 days_

_A young girl sat at the dining room table as she walked into the room. The room normal, nothing different about it except for the teenager that sat completely still except for her hand which dropped two dice onto the table in front of her._

_The teenager leaned forward and tilted her head to read the numbers on the dice. She glance up at Buffy as the female slayer walked forward to stand at the opposite side of the table. Twin gold slitted eyes met hers and Buffy frowned._

_The girl looked back down at the dice as Buffy reached out and pulled them to her. The dice were twins each a brilliant multitude of swirling colors, bright-lived colors changed into darkness and swirled in a vortex._

_Twin numbers stood out, one in white one in black._

_Three dots each._

_The dice shifted and melted and sand fell through her fingertips causing Buffy to jump back as the gritty substance fell from her hand. She glanced up and found herself before a fire. A flickering familiar image stood before her._

_One moment a primal creature, the first Slayer._

_ The next her deceased Wiccan friend Tara._

_"Death, is the gift one brings… all can give it, few chose it."_

_A sound broke her gaze away and she turned her head and saw a familiar face._

_"Spike?"_

_The blonde Vampire lifted his head toward her from where he knelt. His voice was hoarse and his bright blue gaze filled with sorrow._

_Buffy's walked toward him but only a few feet from him found herself up against an invisible wall._

_"When one dies another is called."_

_Spike turned his head toward the side as a young woman wrapped her arms around his shoulder and held a cloth over his face. Buffy felt dread and worry and sorrow pass through her as the woman spoke._

_"Don't worry dearie it will all be over soon. All the pain will be gone."_

_Buffy shot up choking and spitting up water as Xander drew back from her his gaze filled with worry. Buffy sat up and glanced around at the dismal cavern as the scene changed again. Buffy walks to the front of an alley she stops as she hears a familiar voice behind her._

_"What do you think you're doing?"_

_She replied quietly._

_"The right thing for once."_

_She starts to walk foreword but the screen shifts and this time he's standing in front of her in Game face after she had thrown him into the boxes after he had told her that he loved her._

_"You're not throwing your life away over this." He growled._

_"It's not your choice."_

_"Why are you doing this to yourself?"_

_"A girl is dead because of me."_

_"And how many people are alive because of you? How many have you saved? One dead girl doesn't tip the scale."_

_"That's all it is to you isn't it? Just another body."_

_"Buffy."_

_She flung herself at him punching and screaming. She knocked him to the ground and continued her assault. Suddenly she glanced at him shocked. She was staring down into his face; a face she had beaten till it was bloodied and broken._

_She drew back and ran from the alley._

_The scene changed and she found herself standing in her bathroom. Spike entered and closed the door._

_"Get out."_

_"We need to talk."_

_"I really don't"_

_"This isn't just about you -- as much you'd like it to be."_

"You spoke. I listened. You leave."

_  
"I'm sorry. Not that it matters now. But I needed you to know that."_

_"Why?"_

_  
"Because I care about you."_

  
"Then you might want to try the not sleeping with my friends."

_  
"That's not... I didn't go to Anya for that. I was looking for a spell."_

_  
"You were going to use a spell on me?"_

_"It wasn't for you. I wanted something -- anything to make this feeling stop. I just wanted it to stop. You should have let him kill me."_

_  
"I couldn't."_

_  
"Why?"_

_  
"You know why."_

_"Because you love me."_

_  
"No. I don't."_

_  
"Why do you keep lying to yourself?"_

  
"I'm not saying I don't have feelings for you. I do. But it's not love. I could never trust you enough for it to become that."

_The scene changed and she found herself walking into Spikes crypt._

_"Oh, it's the Slayer. For a second there I was worried." Spike notices Joyce and Dawn who stand of to the side near Buffy. "__So, what's with the family outing?"_

_"I need your help."_

_  
 "Great. I need your cash."_

_  
"I'm serious. You have to look after them."_

_"Well, that's a boatload of manly responsibility to come flying out of nowhere."_

_Buffy turns around and finds she facing Spike in her living room. His hair is ruffled and the gel almost completely gone leaving it in its natural curls._

_"We're not all gonna make it. You know that."_

_  
 "Yeah." Spike nodded. He turned back form the weapons chest a walked toward her. "Hey. Always knew I'd go down fightin'."_

_"I'm counting on you ... to protect her."_

_  
"Till the end of the world. Even if that happens to be tonight."_

_"Do you even like me?"_

_Spike asked softly from right beside her beneath the rugs in his crypt._

_  
She glances at him and smiles softly._

_"Sometimes."_

_  
"But you like what I do to you."_

_Buffy can't reply and after a few seconds he lifts a pair of handcuffs up between them._

_"Do you trust me?"_

_Buffy staring at a hurt broken spike, his face is bloody and his shirt is torn._

_"Why did you let that Glory hurt you?"_

_  
"She wanted to know who the Key was."_

_  
"I can tell her! Then you won't –"_

_  
"No!" She turned and faces Spike once more and he looks her in the eye. "You can't ever… Glory never finds out. Full stop."_

_"Why?"_

_  
"Buffy - the other… the not-as-pleasant Buffy. Something happened to Dawn it'd destroy her. I couldn't live, her being in that much pain. I'd let Glory kill me first. Nearly bloody did."_

_Buffy stares below her at a broken Spike after she had beaten him up in the alley near the police station and left him for dead._

_She turns the corner toward the Police station and stares at the scene before her. Spikes Body lying crumpled on the floor of an office. His eyes wide and empty. The plasticine woman folding the hanker chief and placing it in her pocket._

_Buffy's heart wrenches as Tara walks up to stand behind Spike staring down at his empty face. She slowly looks up and as she does her face and body changes to that of the first Slayer_

_  
"Love. Give. Forgive. Risk the pain. It is your nature. Love will bring you to your gift."_

_  
"What? I'm sorry, but I'm just not getting this. I'm full of love. Which is nice to know. And then… love will lead me to my gift?"_

_  
"Yes."_

_  
"I'm getting a gift? Or do you mean I have a gift to give to someone else?"_

  
_"Death is your gift."_

*

Buffy screamed as she shot up into a sitting position. Her hands clenched the damp sheet tightly as she took deep breaths murmuring 'oh god, oh god' over and over again. A soft knock on her door brought her out of her catatonic state and she glanced up as her sister poked her head around the door.

"Are you alright?" Dawn asked her voice filled with concern.

Buffy nodded dumbly and brought a small shaky smile to her lips, "Yah, I'm fine… just a night mare."

"Alright, if you need anything I'll be in my room," The younger summers told her as she pushed a bit of her hair behind her ear. The highlighted sections of the brunette's hair had brightened her new do, which went a few inches past her shoulders.

Buffy smiled genuinely, "Go back to sleep Dawn."

Once her sister had retreated to her room Buffy laid back the images of her dream replaying in her memory. Trust and Death. Both played a big part of it… and another big part seemed to be centered around her and Spikes relationship… the one they hadn't had. He had hurt her physically and emotionally. Another part of her mind, a smaller slightly dimmer voice argued, not any more so than _she_ had hurt _him_.

****

_Author Note: Cliffhanger! Arg!… this wasn't supposed to be this long but I had to many points to get across… so here you go! ^_^ anyway next chap Nich, tara, giles, spike…prolly next Monday or Thursday… I now am a part of dance and a co-ed soccer team so theres even less time to be had computering._

To be continued in: _Duties_

As always please review! Any feedback is welcome, even . or hi or :) !!

I love reviews!


	17. Part Sixteen Duties 59 days

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: _PG-13 for Angst and ect. __And CD___

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. _

Authors note: _Yay! I updated! Claps…. Ow sore arms… sore arms… sore legs… sore ankles… that's dance for ya._

 TO THE STORY!

****

**Part Sixteen**

Duties

_59 days_

Tara said the spell and the guards went down letting Nich burst into Quentin's office. The sight before her shocked the seer to the core. The old man, probably Travers himself, stood in front of his desk a shocked expression had appeared on his face when she slammed through the door. A young woman who smelled wrong was just standing up and placing a folded hanker chief in her pocket. She glanced toward Nich and smiled sweetly.

"How wonderful, guests!" She smiled toothily. "Are you in need of a checkup little girl?"

Nich rushed foreword toward Spike her eyes focused on his pale body.

"Little gir-" The woman grabbed her arm her grip strong. Nich turned her head her eyes narrowed glowing as the woman was flung into the nearest wall. She hit the bookcase and slid to the floor knocking over volumes of ancient text.

Nich knelt next to the Slayer and placed her hands on his arm and screamed. Her vision swam as everything she touched began to glow…

*

Tara and the others followed Nich into the room as the seer fell to her knees her hand gripped spikes arms as she began to glow. 

"Oh Goddess," Willow gasped from her side her eyes filled with shock. Her legs didn't seem to work as she had just stopped and stood staring at the sight before her.

The room was filled with the bright light that was coming from Nich and had spread to Spike. The witches had no idea what was going on but were rooted to the spot unable to move.

From behind them Giles noticed Quentin standing completely still in front of his desk as the older man stood staring at the unbelievable sight before him. The ex-watcher rushed toward the head of the watchers in order to restrain the power hungry man.

*

_What's going on?_ Nich stared ahead of her at the figure that had invaded her mind. After first noticing the invasion she had let her consciousness fall back into the area of her mind that was occupied, the same area the visions were received in.

_I'm saving Spikes life._ Came the reply as the young woman turned toward her. _The powers couldn't let him die._

_Okay then, you were sent by the powers then. Who are you? _Nich folded her 'arms' over her 'chest' as she spoke narrowing her eyes at the woman before her.

_Cordelia. I knew Buffy and the others when I was in high school… I help Angel out in LA or I did. Before I transcended to a higher plane. _Came the reply. The Blonde-Brunette before her smiled slightly_. I'm almost done… listen I need you to do something for me, it's important._

_Your saving Williams life, we owe you one. So what is it that you'd like us to do?_

_When I transcended I left my champion behind, he's in grave danger… He's trapped somewhere, under water. I need you to rescue him… and tell him I haven't abandoned him, I'll return as soon as I can. _Cordelia's eyes were filled with pain and they pleaded with Nich to do this for her.

_The Younger seer nodded and shrugged_. Yah, sure… how are we supposed to find your champion… Angel right?

_Yah Angel_, Cordelia smiled thankfully_. You can start at the Hyperion Hotel. Its where I used to work with him, its an investigation group called Angel Investigations._

Nich smiled and reached out towardCordelia and barely touched the other woman's arm._ We'll help him, even if I have to drag William there kicking and screaming._

_Thank You. _Cordelia smiled as she faded._ Tell Angel… I love him._

*

Nich's sight cleared and she fell backwards completely drained. Her breathing came in deep gulps as Tara and Willow hurried over to them. Willow grabbed her arms and helped her up as Tara kneeled next to Spike and touched the pulse point on his neck.

"He's alive." She announced glancing over her shoulder to where Giles held knife to Quentin's throat.

"Tara, if you would please help Mr. Travers take a nap?" Giles said calmly as he stared into the older mans eyes. "I'm sure he has realized by now not to come near any of us again."

"Y-yes I ha-ave… you have my wo-ord." Travers answered him stammering as his whole body quaked in fear and surprise.

"Sleep." Tara whispered holding her hand out toward Travers. He fell to the ground and slumped against his desk asleep. "Giles can you carry William? We have to get out of here."

"Yes of course," The ex-watcher kneeled next to Tara and the wiccan helped him get the unconscious slayer over his shoulder. "Willow will you be able to handle Nich?"

The red haired Wiccan nodded, "Yes I think so." She pulled the teen into her arms and stood slowly. "As long as we don't run into any trouble anyway."

"I'll make sure we don't," Tara told them as she led the way out into the hall.

*

The 'female' robot named Emma McFowell pulled herself up and adjusted her clothing over herself. She smiled broadly as she realized that nothing had been torn. Her head shot up and she surveyed the room with indifference to the fallen books and other debris around her. Her eyes and sensors fell onto Quentin Travers prone body and she shook her head tsking loudly.

"Mr. Travers, why you must be sick!" She walked over and pulled his body up and settled him into her arms. "But don't worry, I'll take good care of you. After all Doctor knows best!"

*

"Oh, what demon bashed my skull in?" spike mumbled as he awoke. He opened his eyes in confusion and rolled his head to the side.

Nich winced at the sound of his voice, "No demon." She replied. "Just a robot… and there wasn't any head bashing either."

Spike pushed himself up slowly into a sitting position. All his muscles ached, as did his lungs, which made it painful to breathe in to deeply. "What happened?"

"You were kidnapped by the council," Willow answered him as she walked into his line of vision with a steaming mug. "Tea?"

"Thanks."

"A robot killed you, but thanks to Nich-"

"Actually-"

"She managed to revive you. She saved your life." Tara said as she took a seat next to Nich.

"Thanks Kat-eyes," Spike smiled appreciatively.

"Actually it wasn't me that did the saving," Nich stared down into her own tea. "It was another seer someone whose transcended to another level."

"What do you mean transcended?" Tara asked. 

Nich glanced up and smiled slightly as she shrugged, "I don't know what it means… I think she does things others can't do for the powers. Things that aren't on just this plane."

"Like the spirit realm? And limbo? That sort of thing?" Willow asked.

"Yah, I think so." Nich glanced around. "Her name is Cordelia… she said she knew you guys."

"Cordelia? Isn't that the prom queen that helps Angel out in LA?" Spike asked as he set his mug on the coffee table in front of him.

"Cordelia did mention one time tat she gets visions." Willow glanced over at Tara who smiled at her. 

"If it is that Cordelia… and she's transcended or whatever we should figure out a way to thank her." Tara returned willows smile and glanced back between the small group. It was just the four of them since Giles had a meeting with some friends and then later he was supposed to meet Anya at a local restaurant to talk about the 'shops inventory and supplies lists.' He had hated to leave the four of them after such an experience but it couldn't be avoided.

"She said that her champion, the warrior she received the visions for had been trapped under sea somewhere. She asked if we could rescue him." Nich glanced toward Spike. "She also said that his name was-"

"Angel, yah just great." Spike shook his head trying to clear it. "Knew I couldn't avoid the poofter. Well then guess we're going to be saving the king of broodings arse aren't we?"

"He's not the only one who broods." Nich said suddenly dropping the room into silence. Tara and Willow stared at her in shock as Spikes eyes widened as he turned his gaze toward her. "William, you got your soul back after a 120 plus years of petty violence and killing, so? Don't treat it like is a curse cause it not."

"You're right. Its not a curse." Spike answered slowly. "And I shouldn't be treating it like one. I can't just whip everything under the carpet and pretend that noth-"

"Then don't pretend!" Nich replied shortly. "Those people are dead and gone! There's no way you can change that. But you can get on with your life and try to make a difference now, you can't save their life so-"

"I'll save others." Spike finished for her. "I already figured that out Kat. When everything flashes before your eyes and you die you seem to have moments of clarity. And that happened to be just one of the many that I had."

Nich nodded, "So no more brooding?"

Spike laughed, "Can't promise that pet, but I can promise you'll see a lot less of it."

"Good!" Nich sighed and smiled. "Cause you know it was getting _real _annoying, right?"

"She's got a point." Tara smiled.

"If they think so then I guess I'll have to agree." Willow shrugged and gave Spike a small smile.

"Hey! Why's everyone ganging up on me?"

"Cause maybe if you had gotten a social life none of this would have happened?" Tara asked innocently.

Spike growled and them causing the women to laugh even harder. Life was looking up after all… perhaps when they got home he might even have a chance to redeem himself with the other people he loved. As his new family began to converse and laugh Spike remembered back to his past. This time all the good instead of the bad. Perhaps he just needed a bit of hope to go with his new duties.

**"Trying" (blyss aka Lifehouse)**  
  
Could you let down your hair   
And be transparent for a while   
Just a little while   
See if your human after all   
Honesty is a hard attribute to find   
When we all want to seem like we've got it all figured out   
I may be the first to say that I don't have a clue   
I don't have all the answers   
And god I pretend like I do just   
Trying to find my way   
Trying to find my way the best that I know how   
  
Well I haven't memorized all the cute things to say   
But I'm working on it   
Maybe I'll master this art for today   
I'd I qet all the line off the top of my head   
And you'd be   
I don't understand all of these things I've read   
I'm just trying to find my way   
Trying to find my way   
Trying to find my way the best that I know how   
  
Well I haven't drawn it or figured out quite yet   
But even if it takes my whole life   
To get to where I need to be   
And if I should fall to the bottom of the end   
I'll be one step back to you   
I'm trying to find my way   
Trying to find my way   
Oh, I'm trying to find my way   
Trying to find my way

****

_Author Note: Okay more soon YAY! Other characters as well… still stuck on gunn and fred however so until I write that this is my last update this week… expect one tue or wends or later… this is special update cause I know how evil cliff hangers are and I am not posting due to the anniversary of sept 11th tomorrow._

To be continued in: Mixed acquaintances__

As always please review! Any feedback is welcome, even. Or hi or :)!!

I love reviews!


	18. Part Seventeen Mixed Aquantances 59 da

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: _PG-13 for Angst and ect. __And CD___

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. _

Authors note: Hey lookie an update…__

 TO THE STORY!

****

Part Seventeen 

Mixed Acquaintances

_59 days_

Giles glanced across the small elegantly decorated restaurant and sighed. He was late and Anya wasn't going to be happy. It wasn't really his fault after all Spike had been kidnapped and had even died, never mind that the male slayer was now alive and well. His eyes found the Vengeance demon in the corner sipping a glass of wine and he smiled as he took in her appearance.

Anya wore an elegant backless red gown that fit her perfectly and showed off her curves extremely well. Her bleached blonde hair was piled on her head except for several strands that curved down to frame her face. She frowned at Giles as he pulled out the chair across from her. "You're late."

"I am really sorry Anya," He smiled nervously like a schoolboy on his first date as he adjusted his tie after sitting down. "There was a probe with… willow."

She crossed her arms across her chest. "You are an amazing man Rupert." She told him smiling, "But unfortunately lying to me is not one of the areas that you excel at. "What really happened?"

"Anya I promised I wouldn't tell anyone," Giles sighed and removed his glasses. He placed them into his front pocket and lifted his head back up to look her in the eye. "I promise you as soon as I can tell you I will."

"Fine, I'm just glad you're here now." She smiled and glanced down at her empty glass.

Giles returned the smile then called a waiter over to get a menu. After the two ordered they settled into a simple but pleasant conversation. "So how's the shop doing?"

"Better," Anya replied as she unfolded her napkin and placed it carefully on her lap. "Now that the construction crew has completed rebuilding the high school on its former hellmouth-y resting place they can now focus on the other projects, which includes the Magic box."

"So when will the remodeling job be completed?"

"In a month or so, depends on if they're called out to do a bigger more 'important' job. Really all these months of selling out of the small rental down the street aren't very good for business. I mean we're hardly making any money and-" Anya frowned. "What are you smiling at?"

Giles smiled even wider if possible, "The woman of my dreams."

Anya was silenced with that comment and she smiled and bit her lip. "Oh."

*

A swirl of wind and air that held an electrifying other worldly air hinted gave notice of the vengeance demons arrival in the shop. When she had fully appeared she smoothed down her dress trying to rid it of some of the wrinkles.

"Not that I'm protesting but isn't that a little dressy for work ahn?"

Anya shrieked, and clamped her hand over her mouth quickly before glaring at the man in front of her. "Xander! What are you doing here?"

"Well let's see, my crew is currently having redoing your shop and you said you wanted a progress report so…" Xander smiled holding out his hands and glancing around. "Here I am, and have been for half an hour. So where have you been a dinner party?"

"If you must know I was at a meeting," She turned away from him and walked over to where the cash register had been set up. "A business meeting."

Xander raised his eyebrow as his ex-fiancé stuttered on the word 'business' but didn't say anything about it. "Well the crews been at it for an hour and a half, you want to come down and see for yourself?"

Anya nodded keeping her back to Xander, "I will as soon as I open the store and Dawn arrives for her shift… which should be any minute now."

"Alright then," Xander let his arms swing limply at his side as he glanced around awkwardly. "I guess I just be getting back to work then… See you in a while Ahn."

"Yah," Anya didn't even turn around as he left. "See you."

*

Buffy smiled at her manager or rather ex-manager as she stood, "Thank you so much for understanding."

"That's all right, we have many employees that come and go all the time," The blonde woman smiled. "Best of luck with your classes."

"Thanks," Buffy replied smiling broadly as she opened the door to the double meat palaces manager office for hopefully the last time. "I'm gonna need it."

*

"I'm late, I'm late, I am so late." Dawn bit her lip as she hurried through Sunnydales busy business district. "Anya is so going to curse me."

The younger summers had just gotten out of detention for 'misbehaving,' aka Communication with other summer school students via notes, and was half an hour late to her job at the temporary set up for the magic box. She was working there for free for the whole summer due to her clepto actions last year under the employment of the magic's boxes co owner, along with Giles, Anya who happened to be a vengeance demon. 

The teens clepto actions had almost disappeared, being that they were now only used to pick pocket Vamps and Demons she slayed. Dawn and the rest of the Scooby's had discovered only a few months before that at the same age Buffy had been called Dawn had as well. Since, however, no one had thought it possible or let the teen try and fight her abilities had gone unnoticed. Sides who would have thought that a green glowy mystical ball of energy called a key that had been placed in human form, as the slayers kid sister would turn out to be a slayer herself?

As she crossed the street she ran into a jogging young woman and stumbled. "Sorry!"

The blonde turned and smiled at her, her blue eyes twinkling, "That's alright, wasn't just your fault neither of us expected to run into anything so lets just act like nothing happened alright?" 

Dawn nodded, "Sounds okay. I'm still sorry though." Something itched at the back of her mind, the woman in front of her was familiar but she couldn't quite place her. "Do I know you?"

"I don't think so… do you go to Sunnydale High?" The woman asked frowning slightly.

"Yah, I was just there. I'm taking a summer math class." Dawn blushed slightly.

"Awe a trouble make," She laughed. "You've probably just seen me around. I've been getting my stuff into the classroom and my office… I'm the new Gym teacher. Which reminds me I was on a run which I better finish, see you around kid."

"Bye." Dawn called as the woman ran off. She frowned as she entered the makeshift magic box, she hadn't gone anywhere near the new gym lately seeing how the class were in the farthest wing haven been the first part of the building finished.

So where had she met that woman before? She was brought out of her thoughts as her boss called out to her.

"Dawn, you're late!"

*

Faith continued her jog down Main Street happily. Dawn, her sister in Slayings kid sister, hadn't recognized her. Her feelings were mixed on that subject, she knew she didn't want anyone to know that she was in town or having a teaching job but a part of her did want to find out. She felt as though she was a little kid sneaking cookies just waiting for someone to catch her with her hand in the forbidden cookie jar.

That's what this new life was, forbidden. For once she could jog down main street without having anybody stare at her or have guys whistle at her… not that they didn't anymore they just didn't do it as often. She could also go into a lot more stores without being constantly watched by the people that worked there in case she were to steal something.

For once she was normal. 

She had slayed one vampire since her return to the small town of Sunnydale aka the hell mouth and that had been out of self-defense. Faith had also managed to make friends, normal friends. The young couple across the hall from her had even invited her to dinner several times and she had gone shopping with the mother to be for baby clothes and many other things. Sarah and her had become fast friends and faith helped out the now eight month pregnant woman with house hold chores while her husband Bobby was at work.

For once in her life she had a best friend.

*

_50 days_

"You will be going to Las Angeles then," Giles commented after Spike had explained to the ex-watcher about Nichs Vision and Cordelia having been the one to heal him.

Spike nodded, "As much as I dislike the poof technically he's my sire, not to mention another warrior for the powers, so I'm afraid its my duty him out of whatever mess he's gotten 'im self into." Spike grinned. "'Sides can't wait to see the look on his face when I'm the one who appears out of the blue all dark and mysterious comin' to his aid!"

Giles chuckled the ex-vampire had changed drastically after his second, or rather third experience with death. The first had been of course when Drusilla had turned him in the nineteenth century, the second in the instance before he had become mortal once more and the third at the hand of a robot employed by the council of watchers. The ex-watcher had nearly laughed at the irony, the slayer of slayers turned slayer three times dead was in love with the most powerful female slayer who was incidentally three times dead as well. "When will you and the others be leaving?"

"A week from now, and it'll just be me an' Nich," Spike picked up his glass of tea bout to bring it to his lips. "Glindas gonna stay 'ere with the books and translate while helping Red with the magic's."

"Are you two going to be able to handle everything?" Giles asked as Spike sipped his tea.

The Slayer shrugged, "I don't know… but some of peaches teams got to be 'round we can get their help as well."

Giles nodded, "Before you go I'd like to run through a few more training exercises with you."

Spike set his glass down and groaned, "Fine, just don't sick Nich on me… she bites."

The elder looking Englishmen chuckled as spike rubbed the place on his arm where his adopted sister had bitten the day before in the middle of a training exercise. "Don't worry, I'll only do that if you skip."

*

Buffy hummed softly as she sorted through the mail. It was nothing but bills and a credit card application, which she tore into pieces. The bills she set on the desk in the living room/lounge before she took her coat off and headed to the hall closet to put it away. 

As Buffy took out an empty hanger and slipped her coat on it she noticed a black lob in the back of the hall closet on the floor. Kneeling down she pulled the object out and ran her fingers over the black leather. _Spikes coat_. She closed her eyes as tears threated to fall. A piece of the dream she had had only a few nights before came back to her.

_The blonde Vampire lifted his head toward her from where he knelt. His voice was hoarse and his bright blue gaze filled with sorrow._

_Buffy's walked toward him but only a few feet from him found herself up against an invisible wall._

_"When one dies another is called."_

_Spike turned his head toward the side as a young woman wrapped her arms around his shoulder and held a cloth over his face. Buffy felt dread and worry and sorrow pass through her as the woman spoke._

Buffy bit her lip and held the coat to her chest as she stood. Taking out another hanger she slipped the black leather object over the hanger and frowned. In the dream the first slayer had come to her and repeated what she had been told before her second tryst with death: Love, give, forgive… death is your gift. Perhaps it hadn't meant that death was her gift to give but that she was being given a gift. 

She mentally shook herself; it had just been a dream, right? Not a slayer dream… the only way her vampire lover could have died was not what had been shown. After all he was dead and didn't need to worry about something as trivial as breathing. He wasn't dead… just gone. 

Right?

_Buffy turns the corner toward the Police station and stares at the scene before her. _

_Spikes Body lying crumpled on the floor of an office._

_ His eyes wide and empty._

****

_Author Note: Oh lookie I updated… more soon but I haven't seen lessons yet… cause stupid UPN no ton cable… im busy with Dance and school work… stupid teachers gave me six assignments total every night last week…And I'm trying to type ep 6 of my star trek: Eclipse fic I wrote with Lesietta in eight grade. I'm not in 10th grade. Geez time flys…Also I went to a lock in Saturday and got no sleep otherwise this would have been up then.  Hey… I just realized I went from chap 16 to 18…. Do I not like the number 17 or something?? I better fix it…_

To be continued in: _New_

As always please review! Any feedback is welcome, even. Or hi or :)!!

I love reviews!


	19. Part Eighteen New 43 days

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: _PG-13 for Angst and ect. __And CD___

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. _

Authors note: _Ennui: Buffy flat lined lined in Villians (6.20) At least I think she did… if she didn't I'll just pretend she did. ^_^  Jay:  that's why it's called Fan-**FICTION. **Thanks for all the wonderful reviews guys!!!!!!!!!! I feel so loved! And what will I like about Lessons? ((Tying to stay away from spoilers while waiting for Fox to show the new ep.))((NOTE this part of the note was written before my download of the ep completed I love computers!!!))_

 TO THE STORY!

****

**Part Eighteen**

**_New_**

****

_43 days_

Nich sighed as she stared out the window seat of the jet she was on. It had been a big mistake on her part not to specify what seat she wanted and not sitting next to Spike made it even worse. She was sick and the two people that sat next to her had no intention of switching places or moving to let her past. 

The seer leaned her head back against the blue fabric of the cushioned seat and closed her eyes determined to forget about her current position. Her life was getting better and she was happy for once. There was no running, no worries… no foster parents that just wanted her for the extra money and didn't give a damn about her well fare.

No, instead she had visions and friends. And fought demons and monsters that most people didn't even know existed. Her life were good.

"Excuse me miss?" The man sitting next to her asked. Nich turned her head toward him and opened her eyes.

"What?"

"The flight attendant wants to know if you want the chicken or the turkey," Nich blanched and her throat tightened.

Assuming she got off the plane, and soon.

*

Spike was silent as he stared at the airplane meal that sat before him. His thought weren't even in the same hemisphere as he was… he was thinking about what was going to happen once they landed in Las Angeles. He knew there wasn't go to be a welcome party that much was clear. The only people who remotely cared for him, or so he thought, were in England, on this plane and one lone little sister of the woman who hated him as much as he loved her.

First things first once they got to LA they would have to find out what had been going on in the past few months and find Angels co-workers. Then they would have to find the poof himself, he owed it to the Prom Queen that much, after all she had saved his life.

Spikes hand traveled to his briefcase and his fingers fingered the leather handle. He had been amazed when Giles had shown up at his flat one day with papers such as ID, birth certificates and degrees from various places in his hands. Especially a teaching degree in History and another in teaching, not that he was complaining especially when he found out Giles had also found him a job at Sunnydale High school as the new world history teacher. His new name, coincidently almost exactly like his old human name, was William Blake Walthrop. The only thing missing was the annoying number following his last name.

Another thing that had surprised him was that the ex-watcher had gotten new documents for Nich as well that made her his half sister and under his guardianship. She too had a new name, Nichole Kathyrn Saulder. She hadn't been happy with the new name but she begrudgingly had admitted that it was better than her old one, which she would not reveal.

Spike closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the soft material and slowed his breathing down in a calming exercise that Tara had taught him only months before in Africa. It seemed like years since the three of them had been together training, hunting, and just living in the old hut. So much had changed, Spike had even died and been brought back. Which was technically his third death, which from what Giles had told them tied him three for three with the female slayer he loved with all his heart.

*

The small makeshift bell over the door to the temporary magic box rang as Buffy walked through the door. She turned her head slightly so she was able to give the offending noisemaker a drop-dead look, which it having no eyes didn't notice. 

"Hey Buffy." Dawn called out from where she was placing some incense and a small statuette in gift-wrap for a customer. Buffy smiled and waved slightly at her younger sister. 

A few minutes later the happy customer left with the colorful package under her arm. Dawn smiled happily at her sister as the blonde handed her a bag with a sub sand which and chips in it.

"Thank you so much, I completely forgot about packing a lunch."

"No problem," Buffy smiled. "What are sisters for but buying lunch for each other when they have a little extra cash?"

"Dad sent another check?" Dawn asked as she slid into a seat next to Buffy at a smaller version of the Scooby research table to eat since the store was void of any customers.

"Nope," Buffy's grin widedened. "I got even better news! I got hired as a self defense teacher at one of the fitness clubs!"

"That's great!" Dawn mumbled between bites.

"I know," Her sister nodded enthusiastically. "It means I get to do something I love, plus I can work the classes around my classes at school and still have time for slaying. Oh did I mention the pays is twice as much as at the Double Meat and bonuses could happen."

"I'm so happy for you!" Anya caught them off guard causing both sisters to start as she teleported in. "Now Dawnie, what have I told you about leaving the shop unmanned?"

"I was eating!"

"No buts! Someone could walk in at any time," Anya glared at the teenager disapprovingly and shook her head. 

"I'm five feet away from the cash register." Dawn frowned. "Plus I'm still in the shop!"

Anya sighed, "I know its hard for you to understand but you have to always be on guard and…"

Dawn sighed groaning in her mind, it was going to be a long day.

*

Tara smiled as Willow walked in from the kitchen and sat next from her on the couch. The red haired witch was frowning at the room as she set the tea down.

"What's wrong?" Tara asked as she pulled her glass toward her.

"I don't know," Willow shook her head. "It just seems like this place is kind of…"

"Empty?" Tara filled in the blank meeting Willows eyes.

A half smile pulled at Willows lips as she nodded, "Yeah, that's it."

"I know what you mean." Tara reached out and placed her hand over Willows. "Its going to be weird not having Nich and William around, I kind of wish they were still here."

"So do I, not that I'm not glad for the silence or anything." Willow laughed. "But I miss the constant bickering and laughing. It was a nice thing to hear after… all this time. I've rally missed just hanging out with friends."

"We'll see them next month when we  meet them in Sunnydale," Tara's fingers caressed the top of Willows hand gently in a reassuring gesture. "Of course we'll already have been there for a week or two."

"I know," Willow nodded. "Tara?"  
  


"Yes Baby?"

"Why does this place feel like home?"

Tara smiled and leaned toward her so they're faces were inches apart. "Because we're both here… together." The blonde, who leaned and let her lips gently caress the others in a sweet and tender kiss. 

As they pulled apart Willow blushed and smiled. "Guess its true what they say then, home is where the heart is." 

Tara smiled and laughed a bit before capturing Willows lips once more in another sweet kiss.

*

"Solid ground!" Nich smiled leaning against the wall. "If the floor was any cleaner I'd kiss it… but as it is I'm already sick enough."

Spike laughed and grabbed the seers elbow and began t guide her through the crowd. "You can revel in it later, right now lets go find a taxi and a hotel and get some rest. We've got a long few days ahead of us."

"Says you."

"No, says your visions." He glanced down at her. "Need I remind you I'm also your legal guardian? I'm sure grounding privileges also come along with that."

Nich groaned, "Fine lead the way, champion I am so inclined to help."****

****

_Author Note: Wow another update! And I finished part twenty… the real one, not the one that was actually part 19 do to my bad counting…I may not post again till next Saturday, it depends on how much time I get to write and post between homework and the like. Till then enjoy! And I downloaded Lessons, I liked it! For the most part anyway… my friends and I have come to the decision that out of everyone on the show the only sane one is Carlos. Don't ask why or how we came to that. Oh I have an 'A' in Spanish… the class that took the place of my German class… stupid school board cut german(its coming back next year due to complaints), built a high school and an elementary school next to a graveyard… I mean how likely is it that some kids aren't going to decide to go take a short cut through the graveyard and mess with things… or fall into freshly dug graves… that was funny. _

_Was that an incredibly short part or what?!_

To be continued in: _Buying time_

PLEASEPLEASE REVIEW! Brighten my day! ***Sniff* **hehehe… I think I had too much code red….

P.S.

I love reviews!


	20. Part Nineteen Buying Time 43 days

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: _PG-13 for Angst and ect. __And CD___

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. _

Authors note: _this Is my, I've been busy… went to my high school homecoming game, the WSU game… which I was in a section their mascot Butch climbed up into… so fun… anyway both My highschool and the Cougs won so mesa happy… I loved the Angel ep and since I loved it so much I have taken some creative liberties and am using it to break my writers block and there is going to be some slight similarities with that ep starting in chapter 21 but don't worry just acouple of things… like connor being with Ginn and fred still and Lilah and Wesely together. After that not so much… oh Justine will be tied up but NOT by Wesley so don't yell at me when I get to that part. Err… did I mention I like to ramble?___

_Oh and I think I may have read the 'Have a bad night T-shirt thing in another fic… so its not mine and it belongs to the person who origanly wrote it… whoever you are!_

_Oh and I was soo sad to hear about the guy that played Timmy! _

_I love my school! Todays a late start… and I have 14 minutes left on my buffy 7x03 download!_

 TO THE STORY!

****

**Part Nineteen**

**_Buying time_**

****

_43 days_

Nich laid her suitcase out across her bed in the small hotel room and sighed as she stared blankly at the dark black casing. Her stomach was just starting to settle down from its upsetting airplane trip. Unlatching the clasp on the end she reached around the side and pulled the zipper from one end of the case to the other then slowly opened the lid. Fumbling through the various clothing items she found a pair of flare blue jeans and a 'Have a nice day' tee-that had been childishly marked on and re-written to say 'Have a horrible night' then on the back a evil smiley had been drawn with 'MWA HAHAHAHA!' Scrolled under it.

The bathroom door clicked and swung open as a freshly showered and shaved Spike exited it. Walking across the room he passed Nich as she headed to the bathroom and eyed her shirt with a bemused look.

"Does that smiley have ridges?"

Nich opened the shirt so he could see and smiled broadly as he looked it over critically. "Like it?"

He laughed and shook his head. "I have told you you're insane before right?"

She nodded before continuing to the bathroom, "Yep, that and I have the wickedest bite."

"I doubt I used that wording," Spike muttered as the door closed. He walked across the room to his bed and sat down grabbing the remote off the Television as he went. "Time to see what Timmy's been up to…"

*

Nich slipped her shirt over her head and the towel that was still wrapped around her still wet hair. She quickly removed the towel and secured her hair into a long braid before exiting the bathroom to find her surrogate big brother sitting on his bed a frown marring his features.

"What's up?"

"The actor that played Timmy died."

"Who?" Nich frowned; she had absolutely no idea what he was talking about.

"The actor that played Timmy, on passions. He died."

"Passions? The soap?" Nich asked sitting next to him.

"No the number one vampire movie of all time. Of course the soap!" Spike said the first bit sarcastically. Nich frowned and looked at him weirdly.

"You watched soap operas?" She shook her head as she walked back over to her own bed. "You must have been one messed up Vampire."

"You have no idea," Was the muttered reply.

*

"Oh shoot," Dawn grumbled as she glanced at her watch. Picking up her pace from a walk to a Sprint she hurried toward the Newly built gym that Dance team try-outs were taking place in. The teen had considered Trying out for cheerleading but had decided to try a venue not traveled yet by a summers.

She entered the Gym and slowed to a walk as she rounded the corner to the padded area in an off to the side area of the gym where nine other girls were stretching. Dawn heat fell slightly as she realized there would be no competition for a spot on the team, and that everyone that had shown up would most likely get a spot. She smiled awkwardly as she set her bag down and found a place near the back of the group next to a girl with violet and black streaked hair. 

"Hi, I'm Echo," The girl smiled a bit. "You're Dawn right?"

"You've heard of me?" Dawn frowned as she spoke.

Echo laughed, "Don't worry about it. My cousins Janice… she has a picture of you in her scrap book."

"You're Janice's cousin?"

Echo sighed and nodded, "Not by choice."

"I get what you mean." Dawn laughed leaning down over her knee in a hurdler stretch. "She's not the funniest person to hang around with anymore."

"You got black listed as well?"

Dawn nodded, "Yep, all cause I wouldn't steal a purple prada back pack to fit in with her 'clique'."

A whistle blew dissolving all conversation between the groups as their dance coach jogged up.

"Alright team this is try out week, and from the looks of it most if not all of you will make it onto Sunnydale Highs first Dance team," Faith glanced around at the teenagers in various stretching positions before her. "I am Miss Wilkins and I'll be your coach… Yes?"

"Will we be running laps if we get in trouble?" A short girl dressed completely in brand name clothes asked worriedly.

"You'll be running laps even if you're not in trouble," Faith turned her gaze toward Dawn and Echo. "You will all have to be in shape to stay on the team. If you get lazy, don't run when we're running, or skip practice without a legitimate reason than you will be removed from the team."

Dawn bit her lip and hoped that slaying wouldn't get in the way of her staying on the team. As much as she wanted to save lives she had always wanted to dance. She had even taken ballet dances when she was still in LA but not long after she had moved to Sunnydale the local dance studio had not only been burned down but the person who ran it had 'fallen on a wedge of glass' from a mirror and bled to death.

"The sign up sheet is right here… please fill out every category and place your release forms in a nice neat pile next to it," Faith glanced around. "You have seven minutes and then we will be running a mile around the brand new track."

The comment on the mile run was met with groans from several of the girls in the front of the room.

"All right then," Faith smiled. "You will all run two miles… as a team. You will begin and end within fifteen seconds of each other, understood?"  
  


"Yes Ma'am!" Echo replied smiling broadly as she groaned inwardly at being stuck with the rest of the team.

"We're going to be here all night." Dawn mumbled to her.

"This sucks." Came the reply.

*

"-Saturday night? At the bronze?" 

Buffy at the college student in front of her, "Sorry I'm busy."

"Oh come on! I know you're not dating anyone. I asked you sister if you were and she said-."

"Look you're a great guy but I'm definitely not the person for you… plus I recently got out of a relationship and I'm just not ready to move on yet." Buffy gave him a small smile as he nodded slightly.

"I understand… see you Monday in class then." As he walked off Buffy leaned back heavily against the wall.

"Why does he have to be in both my phsych class and my self defense class?"

"Because your luck is rotten and you're the slayer… or is it you're the slayer therefore the luck s rotten?"

Buffy smiled and stood up straight, "Hey Dawnie. How was dance?"

The teen smiled broadly, "I am so far second place on the team do to the fact she's leaving spot one open till we either start competing or find more people to try out."

"The team isn't that big is it?" Buffy asked as she leaned down to grab her bag.

Dawn shook her head and sighed, "Sadly no. It's still the first year we have a team so you can't accept a whole lot so soon. Oh, I met this girl at practice, Echo, and I wanted to know if I could show her around town tomorrow with some of my friends since the magic box is closed and I don't have school."

"She just moved here huh?" Buffy bit her lip trying to decide if she should let her sister go or not.

"Come on Buffy, I'll be careful!" Dawn pouted as they walked out of the gym. "Please? Its not like I'm going slaying, it will just be a tour of the town in the daylight and then a bit of bronzing and maybe afterwards a sleep over?"

"Alright-"

"Yes! Thank you so much!" Dawn let a large smile cross her face as she jumped slightly and locked her hands together.

"On one condition, you will be home by eleven and in bed by one."

"Eleven?" Dawn protested but faltered at Buffy's look. "Alright, I promise. Home at eleven, bed at one."

"Good." Buffy smiled. "The last thing I need is for you to get hurt or kidnapped, again."

****

_Author Note: I actually wrote a drum part to a song… now I have to write the bass guitar part… and the guitar and… watch me change hobbies in a flash… ^_^ Any way I LOVED Beneath You and can't wait till ten minutes from now… and I LOVE Firefly and have ½ the pilot on my computer… (dances) The Joy of Mirc and KaZaA. ^_^ _

_Hmmm…!_

To be continued in: _Relatively Alright_

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	21. Part Twenty Relatively Alright 42 days

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: _PG-13 for Angst and ect. __And CD___

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. _

Authors note: _Yes I know that I am late on getting this up but I forgot about a science project and had to do some last minute stuff on it, and then my English teacher told us to write a modern day episode to The Epic Poem the Odessy, in poem form. Oh the torture. Anyway, I updated my site yesterday for anyone who checks it out… and there will be another art up for this fic on Wends. Due to Late Start. I love my school.___

 **Drum roll** The STORY!

****

**Part Twenty**

**_Relatively Alright_**

****

_42 days_

"Wow, this place is big," Nich, whistled as She opened the door to the Hyperion Hotel. "Are you sure a Vampire owns it? Cause you know I'm betting someone could make a lot of money off this place."

The teenager rolled her violet hued eyes as Spike glared at her. The two of them had just stopped by the optometrist an hour before to get contacts that would hide, at least somewhat, her golden-cat eyes.

 "What I was just pointing out the facts." She grumbled in response to his look and walked over toward the weapons cabinet as Spike walked towards the counter. 

"'Ello?" The slayer called out. His voice rang through the empty seeming hotel. "Anybody home?"

"Maybe there out saving the world or something we could alwa-" Nich was cut off as a young woman with mousy-brown hair that fell down her back entered the room an uncomfortable smile on her face and glasses perched on her nose. Following her was a young African-American man who had an air of danger around him.

"Sorry, we weren't expectin' anybody," The young woman glanced between the two of them.

Nich exchanged a look with Spike before she headed toward where the ex-vampire was standing. The young black man followed her movements with his eyes trying to se if she was any danger.

"Is this Angel Investigations?" Spike asked clearing his throat.

"Yes it is, though Angel isn't-" The young woman began but her companion cur her off.

"Angel isn't here, he's on a case." 

"Yes, sure," Nich rolled her eyes. "And that case involves swimming with the fishies."

"What are you talking abou-"

Spike cut him off quickly, "We got a message that the poof… Angel was in trouble and were sent her to help sort everything out."

"And how are we supposed to believe that?" 

"Would you believe Cordelia told us?" Nich spoke up gathering looks from both of the remaining members of Angel Investigations.

*

"Buffy, I'm going to meet Echo at the Espresso place down town!" Dawn called from downstairs.

Buffy glanced toward the door to her room as she called back, "Do you have money?"

"Yes! I still have my allowance money from this month!"

"Alright! See you tonight, at eleven sharp! Don't be late!" Buffy was answered with a quick 'okay' and the slamming of the front door. The female slayer smiled and shook her head laughing slightly. She was glad dawn had finally made friends with someone her own age, other than Janice, and that the teen was having actual non-criminal fun with them, hopefully.

Buffy stood up and walked over to her dresser, looking through it she grabbed a hair tie and pulled her hair back into a pony tail making a mental note to get a touch up dye job done on her roots. Glancing in the mirror she took enough to time to apply a bit of pink tinted lip-gloss and some tan eye shadow before she headed down the stairs. 

As she reached the last step the phone rang causing the slayer to jump slightly in surprise. As she grabbed the phone off the hook she glanced at the caller ID that stated the call was from England.

 "Hello?"

~

"Buffy I'm glad I managed to catch you," Giles smiled as he spoke into the phone. Across the room Tara was helping Willow pack some of her clothes into one of the leather bags that he had brought with him to the coven.

"What's up Giles?" Buffy asked, suddenly the smile on her face faded and she grasped the phone tighter. "Is Willow… is she alright?"

"What? Oh yes we're all quite fine." Giles glanced at the two witches who were currently making fun of a few of Willows 'kiddier' shirts. 

Tara squealed suddenly as Willow decided to seek revenge on her lover through tickling her.

"Giles are you sure?" Buffy frowned confused from hearing the noise from Giles side of the line. What was going on?

"Yes, just uh, hold on for a second." 

~

"Uh, alright." Buffy frowned and glanced around the living room. Her eyes fell on the closet and she walked over to it and opened the door quietly. Once it was open she surveyed the contents her eyes settled on Spikes duster and she reached out her hand to caress the black leather.

~

Giles covered the mouthpiece and turned toward the young women in the room with him, "If you would please refrain from making to much noise, I am trying to have a conversation here."

"Oh with Olivia?" Willow stretched out Giles' woman friends name smiling devilishly.

'Haven't thought about her in that way for a long time. Not since Anya…' Giles thought. Aloud he shook his head, "No, with _Buffy_."

"Oh!" Willow bit her lip as her fingers traced the loosening metal band that hung on her wrist.

"We'll be quiet then," Tara assured him sincerely before a large smile crossed her face and she leaned in to whisper in Willows ear, "Mostly."

Willow giggled and covered her mouth with a hand before returning to the pile of clothes and the suitcase.

Giles shook his head and uncovered the mouthpiece returning it to his face, "Buffy?"

~

Buffy sighed as several good memories of her times with Spike crossed her mind. The time he had comforted her on the porch after her mother first went to the hospital and the time in this very living room after she had just returned from her heavenly resting place.

"Buffy!" Giles voice from the phone recalled her attention and she lifted it back to her ear.

"Hmm?"

"Good your still there," Giles sighed causing Buffy to laugh slightly. 

"Yep still here, and still Buffy the Vampire Slayer… the chosen one and all that stuff. What's up?"

Giles couldn't help but laugh for a second and managed to gather the two witches glances before they began to giggle quietly once more as well. "Well I wanted to let you know that Willow will be on a plain back to Sunnydale tomorrow afternoon."

"So soon?" Buffy asked a bit to quickly. Though the female slayer was glad her friend would be back she wasn't to keen on having her around her little sister… not after all that had happened.

"She's doing quite well considering," Giles answered. "In fact she's doing amazingly well." He turned his gaze back toward the couple and smiled. "Is there anyway that Xander or you could pick her up at the airport and take her to her apartment?"

"Uh, yah." Buffy replied thinking; "I don't think Xander has work tomorrow. I'll call him later and ask, if not I can take a cab down to the airport and keep her company on the way home."

"That sounds good. Now about times…"

*

She smiled softly as she stared up at the plain stone ceiling humming her song softly. The notes reverberated through the room causing a nice echo effect that seemed to add a cold chill to the song. Her pale hands reached to the ceiling that blocked the daylight from shining through. 

A whimper escaped from her throat and she leaned her head to the side till her cheek-touched red silk and mingled against her dark hair creating an eerie effect of death. 

"Its not fair." She whispered hoarsely.

"Their name was changed… the confusion... it hurts my head. What are they going to do now? We can't have the chaos… it's not right," Se opened her eyes and slowly moved u into a kneeling position as she stared at the sky. 

Lifting a finger she shook it at the doll above her. "Tsk Tsk, you've been a naughty girl. Even the gnats won't have anything to do with you." 

Her dark laugh rang out as her mind was filled with a dark melody that sang of blood, death and power. 

"We're not going to have to wait much longer, order and chaos… no difference really. Everything sorts itself out in the end… doesn't matter how…" She turned a smile widening on her lips. "Granddaddy would be proud of me… Miss Edith told me so before her… accident."

"That he would." Came the reply from the doorway. Drusilla glanced in the direction of the voice before retuning it to the blind folded doll with the noose around its neck. 

"Just like… roses… so pretty."

****

_Author Note: Buffy's going to tell Spike Something eventually! Yippie! Hmm I hope its those three little words… I thought Help was Funny more than anything, but it was an okay epy… hey I realized like 5 minutes ago that Fox switched its showing of BtVS to Saturday, boy am I smart!_

To be continued in: _Always a Next Time_

REVIEW! WOW! Someone wants to be my best friend! I feel Speecial! ^_^

Please? Review? Love it? Hate it? Can't decide?

I'd love to hear your comment!


	22. Part Twentyone Always a next time 42 d

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: _PG-13 for Angst and ect. __And CD___

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. Oh and hey, at least one of the scenes in this chappy are based on a scene from Angel 4x01 cause I thought it fit in here. Anyway, Kris and Echo are mine as well! HEHEHE! I wish I owned Spike though… _

Authors note: _My English teacher is insane. Anyway, Here's the next part: WARNING: I wrote this while on Code Red sugar high and couldn't think of any other way to introduce ___ so that's how come the last bit really isn't very well written. I find it funny, I mean I've actually spilled a something on someone that pissed me off before… so funny but stupid, now this is me shutting up._

_OH! THANKS FOR ALL THE GREAT REVIEWS I'M GLAD THAT YOU ALL LIKE IT!!!!!!!!!_

**From beneath you it devours…. It is…The STORY!**

****

**Part Twenty-one**

**_Always a next time_**

****

_42 days_

Buffy clicked the off button on the phone and let her hand fall to her side as she stared thoughtfully into the dark closet. Gathering her courage she reached out and let her hand wrap around the top of the hanger that held spikes duster. Careful not to let the coat drag on the floor she walked across the room to the sofa pausing at the desk long enough to hang up the wireless phone.

As she reached the sofa she laid the coat on the end and removed the hanger from it. Her fingers trailed across the worn black leather as she picked it up and slid it over her arms. The female slayer sat back into the deep comfortable coach and curled up into her vampire lovers prized possession and wondered if she would ever see him again.

*

"Cordelia?" 

Nich nodded, "I received her message, not to mention a humongous headache… granted it was worth it and all…" She glanced at Spike before returning her gaze to the couple before her. "She asked if we could repay her by coming here and helping you guys find your champion."

"You mean Angel." The woman smiled and glanced between the two. "We could use the help." She glanced at her companion before turning back to Nich and Spike. "I'm Winifred but you can call me Fred." She extended her hand and Spike shook it.

"I'm William. The annoying short one here is Nich," Spike nodded toward the teen.

"Well at least I'm not short for my gender… wish you could say the same dontcha?"

Spike glared at her out of the corner his eye as the other man spoke, "I'm Gunn. Currently the head honcho here, and yah we could use the help." The two men shook hands uncomfortably before dropping the hands to the side.

*

Connor stepped back from the railing after watching the new arrivals to Angel Investigation in the reflection of a window. They were talking about rescuing the monster that had killed his father… not to mention neither smelled or seemed… exactly human. Especially not the girl.

He decided now wouldn't be the best time to deal with it. Turning back down the hall Connor headed back to his room to think up a way to get rid of these two intruders. There was no way he was going to let them rescue the creature Angelus.

*

"As much as I'd love to stay my lunch break is over." Lilah reminded Wesley as she threw back the covers to his bed. 

The ex-watcher leaned back against the pillows and watched the lawyer get dressed. "Oh yes I forgot, Wolfram and Hart does most of its business after dark."

"What can I say, What ever makes the most money." Lilah smiled as she slipped her high heel over her foot and brushed her hair out of her face. "Then you wouldn't know what with that negative income and all."

Wesley ignored the comment and reached down next to the bed to grab his pants. Lilah watched him a smile on her face.

"Say, maybe you can ask Angel for a loan when he gets back-"

"I don't know where he is." Wesley told her as he followed her to the door.

"Right. Well then, see you again, soon."

"What makes you think there will be a next time?" he asked her quietly.

She turned her head toward him her softly curled hair moved slightly. It fell partially across her face. "There's always a next time."

The door closed and Wesley stood there for a second before crossing the room to grab a fresh T-shirt. He slipped the green long sleeved article over his head and smoothed it down before grabbing his coat. After a few minutes he followed Lilah from a distance out the door.

*

Nich glanced toward the balcony where the stairs led to as she thought she saw a figure walk across it. Shaking her head she turned back to the conversation at hand, only keeping a watch out of the corner of her eye.

"-Under water?" Gunn frowned. "That would make sense except the place where we found his car wasn't near deep enough."

"What about a coffin or some sort of holding container?" Nich asked keeping her gaze up on the balcony.

Spike nodded thoughtfully. "Most likely metal. Wood wouldn't work and glass a vamp could break to easily, especially a two hundred and forty year old vampire." He glanced around. "So this is the group?"

Fred nodded. "Groo left not long before Angel and Cordy went missing and Lorne's hit it big time in Las Vegas. He has completely lost the mission."

"Uh, right." Spike nodded.

"But Connor's upstairs though."

"Who?"

*

"Hey Echo so glad you could make it," Dawn smiled glad that her friend finally reached the coffee shop. 

"Yah, so am I." Echo glanced around. "You know for such a small town this place sure is big."

Dawn nodded, "I know what you mean-" Jumping she shrieked as a cold drink, namely vanilla Italian cream soda, made its way down her shirt.

The person that had dropped the drink was sprawled across the floor where he had fallen after being tripped. 

Echo turned around and steered at her cousin who was openly laughing at them.

"Janice." She said simply acknowledging her cousin before stopping to see if the guy was all right. 

"Echo," Janice rolled her eyes. "I see you made friends with the freak."

"Freak?" Dawn asked as she padded her shirtfront with a napkin. "I'm not the one that just tripped someone and made them spill three drinks… which I'm betting you asked him to get for you."

"What I was gonna pay him back." Janice rolled her eyes.

"You still owe Jason eight Mochas that I know of, Mark three and shall I continue?"

"Whatever. I used to think you were cool Summers. Now I can see that you're just like your sister. A trouble maker who surrounds herself with losers." As Janice turned to walk away Dawn grabbed her own drink and walked up behind Janice.

"At least I'm not the Queen of Iced mochas." Dawn said simply.

Janice frowned and turned toward her as down tipped her glass over spilling the cold substance down her hair and face. "Wha-"

Dawn smiled sweetly before turning on her heel and grabbing her purse. Echo had already helped the guy up and the three made their way out of the shop leaving a fuming teenage girl behind.

*

Lilah dropped her purse on her desk after entering her room and walked over to her closet. Glancing around she opened the wooden door to reveal a large empty room. Tied to a chair in the middle sat a red headed woman by the name of Justine. 

"So," Lilah said simply as she walked toward the other woman. "Are you ready to tell me what you did with the Vampire yet?"

Justine glared at her unable to say anything due to the cloth that had been placed in her mouth to keep her quiet.

"Or are you gonna go another day without something to eat?" Lilah asked kneeling in front of her.

The lawyer reached up and slowly removed the gag letting Justine rotate her jaw.

"So, what will it be?"

Justine glanced upward then threw her head outward spitting in Lilah's face. "F*** You."

Lilah reached up and wiped the spit clean. Open her eyes she shrugged, "Oh well."

*

Wesley stood in the bushes next to Lilah's house and heard the faint screams coming from inside her house. Now all he had to do was figure out how to get the female vampire hunter out of there.****

****

_Author Note: I am completely running on Code red caffeine and am still waiting to see Buffy 7x05… I may see it after school!_

To be continued in: _Life's Tough… Get Over it._

REVIEW! PLEASE! OR I have e-mail too! I love those as well, if I have time I'll reply! Oooh

93 reviews right now… only seven more and I have 100 kewl!!!!!!!!!! 

Code red gooooooooooood….

Please? Review? Love it? Hate it? Can't decide?

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REALLLY!! ^_^


	23. Part TwentyTwo Lifes Tough Get over it

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: _PG-13 for Angst and ect. __And CD___

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. Oh and hey, at least one of the scenes in this chappy are based on a scene from Angel 4x01 cause I thought it fit in here. Anyway, Kris and Echo are mine as well! HEHEHE! I wish I owned Spike though… _

Authors note: _My lowest grade currently is a C+ everyone be happy for me, cause that's in Science. Amazingly I have a B- in English since that teacher HATES me. I mean she really does! Everyone thanks for the great reviews! I love you all! Plus I almost have 100! Yippie! ^_^ Thanks guys! Also, last weekend I went to Seattle and found the invader Zim socks I had been wanting! Hehehe, and I now have digital cable and can watch it that much more often on TV. I love Digital Cable! Oh and the whole shirt thing below, my friend Maggie told me to put that in. So if your name is Maggie blame my friend Maggie, and PLEASE don't be offended. Also Good Will rules, so does Hot Topic I am not dissing either since most of my wardrobe comes from those two stores or Wal/K/Bi-Mart. I just have so much fun going to thrift stores… its what my friends and I do on the weekend. Seeing how we either hangout at YG or Coffee Perk, or Smokey blues and the only club in town that lets teenagers in is the Under Ground…What can I say, my home town is dinky… kind of like Sunnydale only without the 42 cemeteries, we only have about oh… six. Did I mention there's an elementary school AND a high school across from the largest? Am I rambling? Yes. Amazingly without the help of Code red._

__

_Shutting up now._

**It is…The STORY deal with it. ^_^**

_(Also: no offence to any foster parents out there, I'm sure your great!)_

****

**Part Twenty-Two**

**_Life's Tough… Get over it._**

****

_42 days_

Spike laughed, he laughed so hard he had to brace himself against the wall. "Peaches has a kid?!" 

"Am I the only one who doesn't get what's so funny?" Nich mumbled rolling her eyes as her surrogate brother tried to calm himself down.

"This isn't a trick. Connors real, and very upset about Angels disappearance." Fred shook her head slowly. "He didn't get to spend much time with Angel since he was stuck in a hell dimension with Holtz for so long."

"A hell dimension?" Spike raised his eyebrow. "The kid grew up in a hell dimension."

 The young seer shook her head sadly. "And I thought I was messed up growing up in a shitty house with two crappy foster parents… hells got to be… well hell."

"Maybe you two would have something in common then, having grown up in bad situations." Fred said suddenly. "Maybe you could get him to make some friends his own age."

"Are you sure that's such a good idea?" Gunn asked glancing at his girlfriend. "I know he's gotten better at this but what if he accidentally attacks her?"

"Don't worry about me, I am 80 percent able to defend myself and the other 20 percent is me knowing how to run away… fast." Nich turned and headed toward the grand staircase, looking over her shoulder she called back over her shoulder. "Which room is Connors?"

*

"Look sorry about my cousin, she thinks she's the center of the Universe." Echo smiled at the guy as Dawn caught up with them outside of the shop. "I'm Echo and this is Dawn."

"Hi, and thanks I guess… I'm Kris." He adjusted his glasses so he could see clearly through them. Kris was not much taller then Echo at Five feet seven inches. He adjusted his blue Hawaiian print shirt over a green shirt with blue writing that announced 'Maggie is a retard.'

Dawn frowned as she read his shirt, "Whose Maggie?"

"I don't know," Kris shrugged. "I got this at Goodwill."

"Oh I love shopping there!" Echo smiled brushing a strand of purple hair behind her ear. "When I'm not shopping at Hot Topic of course."

"You shop at Goodwill?" Dawn frowned.

Echo raised her eyebrow, "You don't shop at Goodwill? Boy am I going to have to shun you."

Kris looked back and forth between them, "Do we have to talk about clothes?" He asked awkwardly.

"What would you prefer us to talk about?" Echo asked.

"Anything but clothes?"

*

"Two rooms on the left…" Nich mumbled to herself coming across a door that was slightly ajar. She flipped her long blonde hair over her shoulder as she reached out to knock lightly on the wooden door. The door moved in slightly at her touch and creaked a bit.

"Hello? Connor, are you in there?" Nich bit her lip and tilted her head as she pushed the door slightly open. "Hello?"

Slipping through the doorway she glanced around the room. Everything seemed normal, if a bit clean for a teenager's room. Nich frowned and walked over to the open window.

Dark Green curtains moved gently in the breeze that was sliding through Las Angeles. She leaned forward a bit glancing out the window to the streets below. "Geez, long jump." The teen muttered under her breath. "I'd hate to have to jump that far."

Turning Nich yawned deciding to look for the mystery teen some more. She didn't have to look far for a kick landed straight into her stomach pushing her backwards.

*

"This is the bronze." Echo stated simply as she glanced around the busy club. It wasn't as crowded as the only club in Sunnydale (for humans anyway) could get but it wasn't near empty either.

"Yep," Dawn smiled, "The only place in Sunnydale you can go to party."

"Other than the coffee shop and the mall," Kris put in. "This is really the only other place to hang out on a Friday, or Saturday night."

Dawn tilted her head toward him and added on to his insightful thought, "Or any other night for the matter."

"True," Kris shrugged.

"So," Echo glanced around. "Should we snag some seats or something?"

"Depends on if you want a table or a coach," Kris answered.

"How about a table, so we can get drinks," Dawn rolled her eyes when Kris frowned. "Non-alchoholicy type drinks."   

*

Nich slammed backwards through the window. Reaching out her hands quickly and twisting in the air she latched on to the window cell and let out a shriek, hoping Spike would hear.

*

"I still can't believe it, peaches and Darla have a kid." Spike shook his head. "Angel sure does get himself…" Spike snapped his head to the side and glanced up before taking off toward and up the stares.

"Hey! What's going on?!" Gunn asked before swearing under his birth and following the male slayer up the stairs.

*

"Oh shit, oh shii-It!" Nich shrieked repeatedly as her fingers grasped the wood edge tightly her knuckles turning white with the strain. 

Connor leaned out the window briefly wondering how he should make the girl lose her grasp before his door was slammed open. The teen barely had enough time to turn around before he was slammed up against the wall.

Nich heard Spike growl from inside the room as she attempted to find a foothold but failed miserably. An itch in the back of her mind broke her train of thought and she cursed the bad timing. "Oh bloody hell."

*

Opening her eyes Buffy realized that she had fallen asleep curled up on the coach. Yawning she rolled her neck around to get the kinks out of it as she stretched. Turning her head she glanced at the clock realizing it was after sunset.

 "Well, Might as well get in a few hours of slay-time before Dawn gets home," Buffy said aloud as she stood. Walking over to the wooden chest Xander had made her for her Birthday she unlocked it and lifted the lid.

Inside the chest was a multitude of different weapons. Long thing stakes, a few shorter ones, a broad sword and a couple of daggers… a battle axe even lay at the bottom of the chest next to a cross and several bottles of holy water. Buffy snagged a stake and slipped it into the back pocket of her jeans beneath Spikes duster. Grabbing a sword she stood and closed the lid to the wooden chest and smiled grimly.

"Well, if there's one thing I'm good at its beating people up." Buffy said quietly as she stared at her reflection in the clean edge of the sword. "So I guess I better get to it."

A few seconds later she had locked the house and continued her walk toward a cemetery for patrol. Spikes coat swirled gently around her feet as she walked, a reminder of things past, and perhaps, a foretelling of the future.

****

_Author Note: You know what? School takes to much time. They should have computers that can download anything you need to know straight into you mind. Either that or add more hours to the day. That's work to._

To be continued in: _Pain and Life… SURPRISE!_

REVIEW! PLEASE! OR e-mail me! 

Please? Review? Love it? Loathe it? Have no clue as to what it was about?

I would really love to hear your comment!


	24. Part Twentythree Pain and Life? SURPRIS

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: _PG-13 for Angst and ect. __And CD___

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. Oh and hey, at least one of the scenes in this chappy are based on a scene from Angel 4x01 cause I thought it fit in here. Anyway, Kris and Echo are mine as well! HEHEHE! I wish I owned Spike though… _

Authors note: _Claudia, I'm nearly to Angel… only a couple of more parts (2-4), and Spuffy coming soon! Don't worry and W/T soon as well seeing how these few chaps are taking place in the same night and All they're doing is Packing currently and getting ready for the trip back to the states, But you'll see some more of them in 24, so next time! I hope you'll be happy soon, just hang in here… I've got a plot for the SD stuff in the works and hopefully it's a good one, you've already gotten a hint of it._

More story…

****

**Part Twenty-Three**

**_Pain and Life… SURPRISE!_**

****

_42 days_

~

_Pain._

_Dull throbbing, continuous. _

_Sudden sharp searing._

_Pain._

_Simple pain._

_Danger, can't tell her, can't tell her where he- it is._

_Can't tell… PAIN._

The pain and feelings that were thrown through the vision and into Nich's mind caused her to cry out and a sharp and ear piercing scream.

Inside the hotel room Connors was thrown across the room, through the door and into the wallpapered wall of the hallway where he nearly hit Gunn and left an indent into the brightly colored wall.

Spike scrambled to the window and glanced down at Nich's face as many different emotions crossed it. Wrapping his hands around her arms he pulled her up and through the window. Pulling her into an embrace he hugged the teen tightly as she murmured 'oh god…' over and over to herself as she tried to clam her shaking.

"W-William?" She said after a few moments. "I'm alright now… and you need to get going."

Spike looked down at her and frowned for a second before turning his gaze to the unconscious teen in the hall. "No, I'm going to take care of him."

"Don't. Someone, several someone's need you help."

"Who?"

Nich shrugged and smiled tentively, "A woman and a man. The woman's being held hostage by another woman… she knows where Angel is and the other woman is torturing her for the information. The Mans going to try and free her but will fail if you don't go help."

"Will you be fine here?" Spike asked looking her in the eye, he had almost lost one of the few people that had cared about him in the last hundred plus years, he didn't want to leave her there.

"Of course, my advice is to take Gunn with you, he has a car and knows the city better than you." Nich glanced around Spike to where Gunn stood, a frown on his face.

"What happened?" Fred asked in a near growl from where she was knelt next to Connor.

"A misunderstanding. I take it he doesn't like demons? I'm part demon… enough so that my visions don't knock me around or give me a headache… unless the vision itself conveys pain or emotions… I think he sensed that part of me." Nich looked up at Spike and smiled lightly. "Go, help people. It's your job remember?"

Spike nodded and turned toward Gunn, "You want to come? Nich says one of the woman knows where Angel is."

Gunn nodded, "I heard, and as much as I don't like you, I'm thinking you two may be our way of finding Angel."

*

"She's so adorable," Faith cooed down at the newborn Sarah held. 

"Isn't she?" Sarah sighed. "She's perfect." 

The new mother gently ran her fingers across her baby while Faith smiled down at the two. The brunette… now blonde rogue slayer wished that she could have someone so small, and cute like Sarah's baby of her own one day. The likely hood of that happening with her life expectancy was so slim though.

"Well, well we have company!" Sarah's husband said as he entered the hospital room with a cappuccino and a glass of water.

"Couldn't stay away," Faith laughed. "I just had to come see the new arrival as soon as I could."

"Its good you're here though," He glanced at her. "We wanted to know if it was okay that we placed you as Marie's godmother."

"Me?" Faith was speechless. "Me?"

"Mmm-hmm," Sarah nodded. "We'd really like it if you were. You've helped us so much through these last few months. Side's you're my best friend."

"O-Of course!"

*

After Nich had given Spike and Gunn the address they had headed off to the car right away, after placing Connor on his bed. 

Fred sat on the edge of his bed glancing at the teenager she had taken under her wing over the summer. They had been working so hard to find Angel, she marveled at how he took Angels absence so well. Not that the two had known each other for very long but still, they had just started to get to know each other when he had disappeared.

Connor jerked into consciousness almost knocking Fred off the bed before he realized it was her. "Sorry." He muttered sitting back against the head of the bed.

"Connor, why did you attack that girl?" Fred asked after a few seconds of silence.

Connor looked up shocked, stray strands of brown hair dangling in front f his blue eyes. "Girl? She's a demon!"

"Not all demons are bad Connor, I thought we already talked about this," Fred tilted her head at him as he looked away. "She's not even completely demon. Only half like Cordelia. She helps fight the good fight, for the power like Angel does."

"Did you mean," Connor muttered.

"Angels still alive, somewhere. We can't give up hope sides William and Nich are here to help find them," Fred smiled as she laid a hand on his shoulder reassuringly. "Gunn and William even have a lead thanks to Nich's visions…"

"However helpful that might be," Nich said from the doorway. "Sorry about intruding into your space… could we perhaps start over in the getting to know each other area? Perhaps even leave out the falling through window, almost dying part?"

*

 Gunn drove his truck, not even glancing at Spike as he spoke. "You're pretty strong, knocking Connor across the room like that."

"Yah, guess I am." Spike replied.

"Mind telling me how you're that strong?" Gunn asked after another few seconds of silence.

"Yes, actually I do mind." Spike glanced at him for a second before returning his eyes to the road. "I hate to say this, but are we there yet?"

"About five more minutes… you'll tell us eventually, right?"

"I only want to tell my tale once, so as soon as we find peaches and get the gang together it'll be told… sides I'm sure Kat will want a say in the plot." Spike replied shortly his voice calm and almost emotionless.

"Right."

*

"Ready to tell me yet?" Lilah stepped back and stretched her arms causing her bones to adjust slightly and fall back into place. She smiled down at the battered red head.

Justine glared at the floor, as much as she hated the creature Angelus she hated this madwoman more. Her vision was blurred and her sides and hands ached. She was also positive that at least four of her fingers were broken.

"I guess that would be a no," the lawyer shook her head. "Pity, I hate having to hurt you like this." 

Lilah leaned down so she was within Justine's vision, "And if you would just tell me where Angel is I'll let you go. Free you from this torture."

"By killing me?" Justine asked coughing slightly afterwards. "I would sooner leave you frustrated than die knowing I gave up."

"Well than," Lilah reached into her back pocket and removed a razor. "I guess I have some time to kill before the next business meeting in a few hours… and with you here I think I won't even notice the time slip by."

****

_Author Note: I'm gonna be nice and not say anything but hi. _

_And the hundredth review belongs to: _NevermindDaria_! thank you so much for reviewing! You and everyone else! ^_^_

To be continued in: **_Can't run, can't hide._**__

Review, please. I'd really like to hear your comment! ^_^


	25. Part Twentyfour Can't Run Can't Hide 42

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: _PG-13 for Angst and ect. __And CD___

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. Anyway, Kris and Echo are mine as well.. but they aren't in this chappy… as for previous chap Faiths friends belong to me as well!_

Authors note: _for anyone worried by my aforementioned thing of perhaps losing my computer due to grades… not gonna happen till at least the next report card, I managed to boost my science grade(miracurously) to a B- instead of a C+ and so my lowest grade was thus a B-… me is happy! Anyway here's the next part and I hope you guys like it! Also a note, paint fights with oil based paints… generally a bad idea… believe me!_

As for where this is going: _Just Ask and I'll check ur site out…and for those ppl who I've said I would email them the parts w/o my author notes so they can post them… their coming soon!_

Ooooooh the stoooooorrrryyyy…..

****

**A/note: I have never broken into a house so I have no idea how its done and I'm a bit to lazy to search for hints on the internet… much to interested in home work and reading fics! Hehehe!**

**Part Twenty-Four**

**_Can't run, can't hide._**

****

_42 days_

Wesley carefully dug his knife into the wood grain around the window cell trying to dig it in far enough to lift the old glass paned window up. He growled frustrated when it didn't budge.

"So you must be the ex-watch Angel employed, fancy some help?"

Wesley jumped slightly turning to face Spike and Gunn. "What are you doing here Gunn? And…"

"William." Spike supplied his human name walking up to stand next to Wesley and looked over the window.

"We're here to help," Gunn motioned to spike. "Williams employed by the powers and was sent here to help us rescue Angel."

"You're under the employment of the powers?" Wesley asked as he watched Spike examine the window.

"Yep, I'm a bloody champion and all that rot. Even got myself my very own pet seer." Spike turned his head to glance at the other men. "You know what? Screw doing this the hard way, how about we just cut to the chase?"

A split second later his foot came into contact with the glass and shattered it into thousands of miniature shards.

"Well," Gunn said shrugging. "I guess that's one way to break into a house."

*

"Uh," Connor was dumbstruck at the sudden appearance of the girl. The blonde slowly walked into the room and sat backwards on a chair and rested her arms on the back.

"I'm Nich," She smiled tentively brushing some waves over her shoulder. "I'm a seer for the powers. You know, the group that your Dad works for."

"My Dads dead," Connor replied hotly, and quickly without thinking.

"Angels not dead, if he was I would have got a notice in my inbox of a cerebrum." 

Connor looked away, "He did a lot of bad things."

"So what? He deserves it?" Nich cocked her head to the side. "Why?"

Connor shot his head up to look her in the eye, forgetting that Fred was in the room. "He's a murderer, a monster."

"One who's searching for redemption, working for the powers and saving hundreds of lives every year, not to mention the times he averts an apocalypse." Nich bit her lip. "Did you help with his disappearance by any chance?"

"He killed my father."

*

"Why didn't I think of that?" Wesley muttered as he followed Spike through the window. A small shard of glass caught on his arm cutting a two-inch long gash across it. The ex-watcher hissed sharply.

"Quiet." Spike said softly over his shoulder as he focused on the room. He calmed his breathing and focused his senses listening for anyone in the house. A muffled scream caught his attention and he bolted into action staying forward on his feet to retain a bit of stealth in his heavy boots.

*

Justine screamed before Lilah backhanded her. The burglar alarm had gone of silently, and it had rung Lilah's beeper moments before. The Lawyer had been just close enough for Justine to read the digital writing and take action.

"Quiet." Lilah hissed into her ear as she stuffed a torn cloth into Justine's mouth. The Vampire huntress glared at her captor and clenched her jaw around the woolen rag.

*

Spike cocked his head slightly and crept up to a closed door. 

Gunn shook his head, "What are we doing? No ones home."

"I saw Lilah come in a while before you arrived," Wesley contradicted him. "She's home alright, just hiding."

Reaching a hand out he gently turned the knob. It stopped and did not open. Drawing in a deep breath the male slayer leaned an ear against the wood and focused on the contents of the room. One of the perks of going from vampire to human meant he had kept a lot of his 'powers' though some were a bit dampened by the change.

_Two breaths; one heavy with worry and fright, and one angry, hard, and deep._

_Two hearts, both frantic._

_Both human._

Spike drew back and glanced at Gunn and Wesley in the darkness his blue eyes glittering in the dim light and nodded sharply toward the door. _In there._

*

"I don't know," Tara frowned as she glanced over her lover. "Its not really… you anymore."

Willow twirled in front of her in a jean skirt with a white shirt that had a cute logo on the front. Her hair was down straight and her make up done nicely (cutely). She frowned at her reflection in the long mirror they had installed in the apartments living room.

"Giles?" Tara called across the room. "What do you think?"

"Umm, the first one?" He answered with a question without even glancing up from his books.

Tara smiled at Willows expression as the other witch fiddled with her bracelet and glared at the watcher.

"I guess your right," Willow sighed as she turned and gave Tara a small smile. "But they won't know that. They expect the old Willow, not the new Willow." She turned a worried look on her lover and bit her lip. "What if they don't like me?"

"They'll love you, just like I do," Tara frowned. "But as a friend only of course."

"I hope-"

A cloud of dust swirled through the room and a brunette appeared. "Giles guess what I did to my- AAH!"

*

Lilah shielded herself with her hands over her face as splinters of wood flew across the room.

"Sorry," Spike said as he came into view. "I guess I need to learn to knock quieter next time."

Lilah reached for her knife and drew it into her hand before standing and stepping toward him, "Just who do you think you are?"

"Someone who needs something… or someone you have," Spike glanced over her shoulder. "Oh torture. Had this been a year ago, hell even four months ago I would have sat down to watch, but, since this is now… guess I'm gonna have to stop you."

Spikes hand shot out and gripped her wrist causing Lilah to cry out. The Lawyer ground her teeth together and glared at the ex-vampire. "Who the heck are you?"

"A friend of Angels… though friend might be to strong of a word…" Spike frowned. "Well we're family. And that's what counts."

Gunn followed Spike into the room and knelt down next to Justine so he could untie the ropes that bound her wrist and ankles.

"We need to hurry before Wolfram and Hart get here," Wesley said from the doorway. "We probably triggered alarms the moment we got here.

"Well, well, well." Lilah shook her head. "Guess I wasn't the only one with an ulterior motive now was I?"

"It comes with the job."

Lilah shook her head and laughed, "Do you really think Angels going to forget what you did?"

"No." Wesley shook his head and glanced aside before lifting his stake. "I have no doubt he'll never forget, or forgive." 

The blunt side of the stake fell across her temple knocking her out and Wesley couldn't manage to look any of the other three in the room in the eyes. "Let's go."

****

_Author Note: I love five-day weekends… oooh Wednesday I have another late start… another chap will probably be posted Monday or Wednesday or both!_

To be continued in: _Puzzle Pieces_

Review, or I'll sing the DOOM song! Mwahahahaha! ^_^ Please?


	26. Part Twentyfive Puzzle Pieces 42 da

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: _PG-13 for Angst and ect. __And CD___

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. Anyway, Kris and Echo are mine as well.. but they aren't in this chappy… as for previous chap Faiths friends belong to me as well!_

Authors note_:  I planned to post this in the morning BUT I ended up sending the update email instead of saving the draft of it so I could send it in the morning, anyway happy veterans day! And thank you veterans! Can anyone tell I'm running on no caffeine (for once) and 1 hour of sleep? _

As for where this is going: _Just Ask and I'll check ur site out…and for those ppl who I've said I would email them the parts w/o my author notes so they can post them… their coming soon!_

I'm gonna sing the doom song now! ^_^ 

Dooom….. doooom….. dooooom…. Now to the story.

_***_

**Part Twenty-Five**

**_Puzzle Pieces_**

****

_42 days_

"Angel is your Father." Nich said frowning as Connor bolted up and stared her straight in the eye.

"My father is _dead._ Angel murdered him, sucked the life right out of him. He had the bite marks to prove it." Connor growled at her.

Nich looked up at him unfazed, "Really and how did you know it was Angel that killed him and not some random vamp, or even someone with a fork?"

"He had a bite mark on his neck, two neat holes and there was a witness." Connor narrowed his eyes. "A young woman named Justine helped me get back at Angel."

Nich rolled her eyes and stood up, "First of all, you wanna be bad guys all talk _way_ to much. But I'm getting off subject here so I'll lay down the facts like this. Vampires bite with _all_ their front teeth not just the sharp pointy ones on the side, so whoever killed your 'Father,'" She made air quotes with her fingers. "Was not a vampire."

"And Justine is an evil bitch that ganged up with Holtz." Fred said suddenly from where she was watching the scene. "She tricked Wesley into giving you to her and Holtz for safe keeping, when Wesley found the fake prophesy that said Angel was going to kill you, and then she slit his throat."

Connor froze. He could hear the heat beat of everyone, including himself in the room. And the pieces of the puzzle that had been laid out in front of him flew together to form the whole picture.

The picture that had been jumbled for quite some time.

*

"So here we are, on a boat in the middle of no where in the middle of the night," Gunn muttered to himself. "Not that I haven't gotten used to doing things like this what with the killing Demons thing and everything."

Spike raised his eyebrow and glanced at Gunn from where he stood off to the side. "You enjoy working with peaches?" 

Gunn looked up and frowned, "Who?"

"Angel, the magnificent poof," Spike turned toward the Demon Hunter. "Do you enjoy following him into battle against the 'forces of darkness'."

Gunn shrugged, "It's life. Its what I've been doing for years, even sold my soul for it at one point." He murmured the last part under his breath. 

"Sold you soul for it, me I can imagine doing that but, why?"

"Didn't think I'd live long enough to have a life or fall in love, so I sold it."

"For what?"

"My truck," Gunn expected Spike to burst out laughing but he just nodded.

"I can sympathize, I have a car, a black Desoto," Spike smiled as he thought about it in the storage cubicle he had purchased just for it. "God I love it, can't picture myself without it, it's been so long."

Gunn raised an eyebrow, "Long? You can't have been driving for anymore more than ten, maybe twelve years."

Spike laughed, "I'm older than I look."

*

Anya turned on Willow, "What did you do?!" She screeched at the red head witch.

Willow drew in a deep breath and tried to stay calm as she was assaulted verbally by the vengeance demon with hurtful accusations.

"And Giles how could you let her?" She turned toward the older man her eyes sparkling with tears. "How could you let her create something that… to replace Tara."

"Anya!" Tara hissed finally able to speak. 

Willow bit her lip as small specs of water began to drizzle down her check and sparkle in the lamplight.

"How could you let her use her magic that way-" Anya was cut off as Tara's hand connected with her check. Anya stumbled back shocked into Giles arms. The old man rubbed his hands gently on her upper arms. 

"Shh… It wasn't Willow, and that _is_ Tara," Giles told her softly staring into Anyas eyes.

"That's impossible!" Anya protested weakly. "How?"

Tara rubbed her hand and smiled weakly, "I'm sorry I hit you Anya… to answer your question it was the powers." 

Tara glanced at Willow who was trying to stop the tears. She reached out and gently took her lovers hand in hers. Willow smiled and mouthed her thanks. The brunette/blonde_ (which is she?)_ witch nodded in reply and turned back to the couple still embracing slightly.

Giles managed to calm Anya down and the woman turned with a small smile and apologized to Willow, "Sorry about the blaming and all, it was just you did go crazy with Magic and we wouldn't blame you, or we would, if you did it again. Plus you missed Tara so much, it wouldn't surprise me if you brain washed Giles just to…" Anya trailed off and turned to Giles. "Oh my God, she didn't brain wash you into believing she was good or that bunny's are the best thing in the entire world did she?!"

Giles sighed and smiled, "No Anya."

"Good, cause that would be horrible," She shuttered and then glanced around the room before turning back to her lover. "So do you like my hair?"

*

"This is the coordinates," Wesley announced as he exited the main cabin. "At least the ones Justine gave us." 

Justine sighed from her position on the edge of the boat, "I gave you the correct coordinates so don't go thinking I'm pulling a fast one on you." She stood and stretched in her wet suit. "Sides I'm the one your forcing go down there and hook the contraption up-"

She was grabbed around the throat by a strong hand.

"You run off and I will find you," Spike growled just so she could hear. "And I _will_ torture you. I find its something that I still have a slight liking for, especially if someone hurts the people I care about."

He dropped his hand and she reached a hand slowly up to massage her throat. "Right, I guess I better get going then… where's the chains and equipment I'll need?"

*

"Dawn?" Xander asked. "What are you doing here?"

Dawn spun around and nearly ran into him, "Hanging with my friends, why?"

"Oh, fun." Xander glanced around. "You do realize it's after midnight right?"

"Oh shoot."

*

Xander shook his head as he watched Dawn gather her friends, a guy and girl he didn't know, up and head toward the exit. Dawn was going to be in some serious trouble unless Buffy wasn't still out patrolling.

"You want something to drink?" The bartender asked him.

Xander turned back to the man and shrugged. "One beer please."

"One beer coming right up."

Xander sighed and took out his wallet and payed for his drink. Staring into it he hadn't even taken a sip when a female voice caught his attention from behind him.

"Hi, is anyone sitting here?"

*

The water was cold, freezing cold and dark. The only thing that lit her path was the flashlight that Wesley had connected to her suit. Taking a deep breath Justine swam even deeper into the cold, murky water.

After a few more minutes she reached the sandy bottom floor after working her way through a scared school of small fish. She turned slowly, trying to get a good look of her surroundings. 

The beam from her flashlight reflected off something in the distance, not to far away though. She kicked up and swam in the direction of the object.

*

Turning the doorknob Buffy sighed and yawned loudly. The house was dark except for the soft glow of the television in the living room.

"Buffy, your back." Dawn smiled sleepily from the coach.

"Mmm-Hmm, and your grounded."

"What?" Dawn feigned shock suddenly wide-awake. "But I…"

"I saw you while you were walking home Dawn. About half an hour ago," Buffy shook her head tiredly. "Don't worry its only two days for a first timer… and you can still go to dance. Next time it's a week and _no_ dance." Buffy yawned and pulled Spikes coat closer around her.

"Fine," Dawn sighed and turned off the television. "By the way I love the coat." She added darkly before turning and heading back up the stairs.

Buffy frowned as she watched her sister hurry up to her room and to the comfort of her warm bed. What made Dawn so mad at the thought that she was wearing _Spikes_ coat. And since when was she worried about if someone thought she and Spike weren't good together. The thought of Spike and her together made her cringe inwardly, what if he never came back?

*

"So, you're together?" Willow asked glancing between Anya and Giles. It was weird, thinking that Giles and Anya were… but not so weird as some of the things she had seen in her life. 

"Yep," Anya smiled broadly. "Giles makes me very happy, and he gives me many orgasms."

Giles coughed and removed his glasses.

"Good for you," Tara smiled trying to hold back laughter as Willow bit her lip to keep her own giggles in.

"So, Tara how is the coming back to life thing going? Buffy never gave me a straight answer and I would really like to know," Anya glanced the witch over scrutinizing. 

"Um, well, good?

---

_'Maybe the wildest dreams are all but the needful preludes to the truth.' _

– Alfred Lord Tennyson

****

_Author Note: Next update either Wednesday or Saturday depends on when I have time this week. Hey look I added a quote! I'm also trying REAL hard to fit SD in a bit so I don't have to write straight LA chaps cause that would be really confusing since I have to jump around from time to time a lot… which is why Xander was placed in the fic, and the fact he kind of has gotten left out drastically since he's really not my fav character. So if I leave him out of important group scenes later please tell me! _

To be continued in: _No Baloney_

Review, I love to have feedback!! 

^_^  Please?


	27. Part Twentysix No Baloney 42 days

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: _PG-13 for Angst and ect. __And CD___

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. Anyway, Kris and Echo are mine as well.. but they aren't in this chappy… as for previous chap Faiths friends belong to me as well!_

Authors note_:  I got no sleep last night and I'm hoping for tons tonight, yippie! Anyway I have a story to tell because I'm all hyper and YAY! Anyway on Halloween my friends and I decided to go tick or treating and one was dressed as a gothic angel, one was a vamp, one was dead, one was well some evil thingie, I was a blonde-blue eyed faith cause my mom wouldn't let me dye my hair, and one was a guitar playing skater… anyway we ended up going to one of our teachers house, Mr B. hehehe we had him, or rather I only had him part time cause he taught at one school and I went to the school he didn't teach at but our classes went on a lot of trips where we all haung out… anyway Mr B is British and when we went to the door my friend dressed as the gothic angel said 'candy or DOOM' and he answered in his nifty accent, Doom please. Then he gave us candy. Did I mention Mr. B. looks a lot like Giles (ASH?) he does! Its scary…we played TorD on a bus ride back from some thing late at night, there was about 30+ of us on the bus and they dared him to table dance… he did only he only removed his tie. I'm gonna shut up now… my insomnia (due to paint fumes and envisioning paint brushes after 10+ hours of straight painting) has caused my mind to short circuit. _

As for where this is going: _Just Ask and I'll check ur site out…and for those ppl who I've said I would email them the parts w/o my author notes so they can post them… their coming soon!_

It is the story that never ends…. Yes it goes on and on my friends… I started wr-

_***_

**Part Twenty-Six**

**_No Baloney_**

****

_42 days_

"Nope, seats empty." Xander told the young brunette as she sat down.

"Good, I didn't want to intrude on anyone." She smiled brightly at him.

"Well you're definitely not intruding," Xander smiled. "I'm Xander."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Nancy." She smiled then turned to order a drink for the bartender. "One beer please."

*

Justine swam around the dark cold metal object that held her nemesis and swore as an internal battle waged within her. She didn't want to let the monster inside the coffin go, but she had no doubt in the blonde man going through with his threat. Eventual she wrapped the metal chain around the coffin and made sure it was secure before carefully making the accent to the surface.

*

"Are you ever going to tell us exactly who, and what you are?" Gunn asked as the three men stood on the deck of the fishing boat.

Spike glanced his way and nodded slightly, "Eventually." He turned his head. "I like a little mystery. I also don't like telling a story more than once, so you'll have to wait till peaches is strong enough to chit-chat."

"Peaches would be Angel?" Wesley asked causing Spike and Gunn to both turn towards the ex-watcher.

"Yep," Spike nodded smirking. "Peaches, Poofter, nancy boy. He's a man of many insulting names. Most of them I came up with myself."

"So you've known him for a while than?" 

"Not only am I older than I look, I'm also a tad smarter," Spike turned back toward the back of the boat and turned his flashlight on the water once more. He was inwardly laughing at Gunn's attempt to get him to let some info on who/what he was slide out. "There she is, we better collect her and start pulling up whatever it is she hooked up to, careful on that though… never know if she decided to double cross us."

*

The darkness was everlasting. His hunger once ferocious had dimmed his mind with panic and fear, taken over completely with the urge to find food till without finding any he had completely shut down. First his mind, corner by corner, nerve by nerve had fallen into a deep silence, a coma. Then his motor functions and blood had stopped till all that was left was a meticulously slow movement of the blood through his veins.

His human face had long since been abandoned, replaced by bumps and crags and sharp pointy blood stained teeth that badly needed some whitening strips that crest sold to be used on them. The fangs them self had somehow managed to pierce his lower lip as his skin had grown taught across his bones and muscle was eaten away.

Spike once told Giles that a vampire who handed eaten became a living skeleton, like those pictures of the starving children in third world countries only worse. He was right.

*

Her hands gently massaged Willows shoulders helping to ease away the stress and worries of the day. Tara smiled as her lover moaned slightly letting her know that she was feeling a lot better. The witches were sitting on Tara's bed in the flat that Tara, Nich and Spike had purchased when they had first arrived in England. Those were times Tara missed, but she knew she'd see them in a few days when she arrived in the states. 

Nich and Spike had become her family over the last few months, a brother and a sister that she had never had. Of course she had had a brother but Spike was the one she _wished_ she had had. The three had gotten really close and she missed Spike, even though he had been quiet and plagued by nightmares of the past the majority of the time and she missed Nich's out spoken remarks. 

She missed her family. Willow was her girlfriend, her lover. Someone she cared about and adored but it just wasn't the same, as _just_ a friend, or just someone to hang out with and love like a sister or a brother.

As she thought back Tara realized that Spike had been the first guy she had ever gotten close to at all, she had just been to shy and then when she realized she was a lesbian she didn't have any real reason to talk long with them. Not that she didn't have guy friends before Spike, no that definitely was not the case, but Xander was really Willow's friend and she hadn't known Giles that long. She was glad she had someone that could help her understand the male half of the species, even if she wasn't really interested in doing anything but being friends with the male half.

Willow sighed and turned to face Tara, "Thanks, I really needed that."

"No problem," Tara smiled and settled back on the bed. "I should have stuck up for you at the beginning, but Anya just surprised me. You know the whole teleporting thing and all."

"I know, and can you believe it?" Willow smiled her surprise clearly shown on her face. "Giles and Anya together in the _together_ sort of way. I mean wow, who would ever have guessed."

"I think its good for them," Tara replied slowly. "Giles needed someone and so did Anya. And I think they kind of mesh together, you know what I mean?"

Willow bit her lip but nodded, "I think so. Plus they're kind of cute together."

"Aren't they?" Tara giggled. "I'm happy for them. They both deserve to be happy."

"Don't we all," Willow smiled and reaching out slipped her hand into one of Tara's.

Tara smiled back and squeezed gently, "We all do."

There was a moment of comfortable silence as blue eyes met with green in a loving glance.

Willow was the first to break the silence. "Xander isn't going to be happy is he?"

"Probably not."

*

The clang of steel against steel as the metal coffin that held the comatose master vampire fully awoke the make shift crew of the small fishing boat and sent them into action. Spike and Gunn quickly began to undo the chains from around the coffin as Wesley readied the blowtorch.

As soon as the metal lit had been removed from the coffin Justine carefully undid the tying's that remained. Within minutes Gunn and Spike managed to drag the massively under weight vampire to the hold. They managed to get him onto a table before Gunn spoke up. 

"We forgot the Pigs Blood."

Spike glanced up at him as he removed a knife from his jacket, "We won't need any pigs blood. It wouldn't help him anyway." He stared down at his grand sire and pursed his lips. "It'll have to human blood."

Before Gunn could protest Spike had slit his wrist and held it out as the blood poured across his skin. "Open his mouth, _now_."

Gunn did as he asked.

*

"That's the complete, or nearly complete story." Fred said and bit her lip. "Or the parts I know anyway. 

Connor glanced up at her his eyes a torrent of emotion, "So Angels good now." He spoke slowly in a statement rather than a question.

"Yes, he has been for quite some time." Fred smiled slightly glad that Connor was actually listening to the truth and perhaps even believing it.

"He trusted me," Connor looked back and forth between Nich and Fred. "And I broke it. I trapped him underwater in a coffin. I thought it would be punishment, I thought it was justified."

Nich just nodded as she stared at her hands. She didn't really know what to say, after all, she didn't really know any of these people. She was here to repay a debt that she owed. What _could_ she say? She didn't even have the whole entire picture of what had been going on in the last few months.

"He's never going to forgive me."

Nich frowned and looked up, "Never is a long time."

"He'll live forever," Connor shook his head. "And I won't."

"So?" Nich rolled her eyes. "What is it with you people and depression? He. Will. Forgive. You. Eventually. Sides, it was a humongous misunderstanding, and you're his son. Worse he can say is 'you're grounded' or 'get out of my house.' He's not going to kill you."

"B-"

"She's right Connor." Fred nodded. "He might be mad, but Angel won't kill you. He loves you. No matter what."

'_Let's just hope that's true_,' Nich thought. '_I really don't want to meet Angel if he's willing to kill his own son.'_

*

"Its just Ronny's been so- so mean lately," Nancy smiled weakly at Xander as she lifted her glass up to her pale pink lips.

Xander frowned, "How so? He hasn't, hit you has he?"

Nancy chocked on her drink and shook her head vehemently. "No! Not like that!"

"Then how so?"

"He's just been…" she bit her lip as she ran her finger across the rim of her glass, "Distant you know?"

Xander blinked and turned to stare into his fourth beer of the night. Mean while, Nancy tilted her head towards him and sniffed. Her eyes began to brim with unshed tears as she chocked out.

"I think he's going to dump me!"

*

Faith closed the hospital room door and smiled to herself as she walked through the sterile hallway of the Sunnydale hospital. She was a proud godmother of a teeny tiny, fragile, baby girl. The kid was even named after her, faith being her middle name.

Her boots clicked against the tile floor as she past the checkout/in desk and she yawned, perhaps today would be a good night to do a quick patrol since it was late enough that Buffy would probably have been done for a few hours. 

She slipped her hand up and caught her hair in one hand and used the other to tie a band around it. As she exited the hospital her long blonde hair bounced in a ponytail behind her and her hand held a slim stake. 

The fun was about to begin.

~

'_The human body can be drained in 8.6 seconds with the right vacuum ability,'_ –River, firefly (approximate quote)

****

_Author Note: -iting it not knowing what it was and it'll continue forever just because… **RPT**_

_Anyway, J/K it has an ending which may be subject to slight modifications over time but I have the basic plot planned out in my ahead and on a piece of paper taped to the wall right in front of me…also I now have a plan for Xander… that, sadly, does NOT include killing him off (BTW: Nancy was filler.)_

To be continued in: _Blood_

Reviews are very nice! Thanks all of you who take the time to review! I'm so happy I have over 100; I never thought I would get that many, ever! ^_^ Thanks everyone!


	28. Part Twentyseven BLOOD 42 days

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: _PG-13 for Angst and ect. __And CD___

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. Anyway, Kris and Echo are mine as well.. but they aren't in this chappy… as for previous chap Faiths friends belong to me as well!_

Authors note_:  Thanks Claudia79ad and Tai for reviewing my fic Promises, I'm glad you enjoyed it! Its just a small suggestion to the other readers of this fic to read my short fic trilogy Alone?, Family, and Promise… you get some insight into why I play one of the characters the way I do…plus you learn a lot about certain events… not gonna tell you, you'll have to go read them for yourself!_

As for where this is going: _Just Ask and I'll check ur site out…and for those ppl who I've said I would email them the parts w/o my author notes so they can post them… their coming soon!_

_***_

**Part Twenty-Seven**

**_Blood_**

****

_42 days_

It tasted familiar, vaguely. Then familiar again, only a different type of familiar. 

_Family. Food. Prey. Hunted._

Thoughts and mixed emotions swirled through his mind as it began to sharpen and gain focus the dark dank fog began to dissipate as he fed. The warm, sliding liquid slipping through his mouth, rolling over his tongue and down into his gut. It was feeding him, giving him the power he missed.

The healing had already begun, at a near alarming rate. Muscles, bones, tissue began to repair itself and strengthen once more. It pounded through his veins helping his body to become a resemblance, a shadow of the living.

_Blood, strong blood.  Familiar blood._

His mind began to clear and he began to regain consciousness. His soul conquered and beat back the demon once more as clear thoughts began to fully register.

_Slayer blood._

He jumped and twisted and tried to fight the hand that held his face to the warm body of a slayer… or rather the wrist of a slayer.

"Bloody Hell Angel!" A familiar British voice hissed in pain.

_Spike._

Angel's eyes shot open and he stared up into the face of his childe. His childe who was warm. Whose arm he was drinking from.

*

"What's going on?" Wesley demanded as he skid down the last few steps after having docked the boat.

Gunn looked up at the shocked man and shook his head, "William said something about feeding Angel human blood then slit his wrist… he's too strong, they both are, I can't pry them apart."

Spike swore inwardly as he felt his blood begin to thin and his heart beat slowly, he was severely weakened. Gazing down at his sire through hazy eyes he pulled his arm away. In the process several long gashes appeared across his wrist and Angels head fell back against the hard table.

The other men in the room managed to gab Spikes arms before he toppled backwards to the floor. 

"Bloody hell," Wesley murmured as he helped Gunn walk a dazed Spike to a chair. Spike fell heavily into it his eyes drifting shut. "Justine!"

"What?" The Vampire huntress asked quietly stunned from watching the scene. 

"Get over here and keep William awake while we get Angel to Gunns truck," Wesley glanced between Justine and Spike. "Hurt him and I'll follow through with his threat."

Justine shrugged and rolled her eyes, "Yah whatever. Just don't take forever."

*

"Don't you guys have anything good to eat in here?" Nich asked as she rummaged through the downstairs refrigerator. 

Fred turned around from her desk where she was researching via the Internet, "I'm not sure…"

"There's some rice crispy treats in the cupboard nearest the fridge," Connor answered from across the room as he examined Gunns Gameboy. "Is Tetras a fun game? Or would 'Maria bros' be better?"

"Depends," Nich answered as she opened the bag of marshmellowy crispies and dumped it onto the counter. "Do you like mind games or killing things?"

Connor frowned, "Killing things?"

"You'll like Mario Bros better." Nich answered as she tore open one of the shiny blue packages, "God I love these things."

*

Snuggling closer into her lovers warm embrace Willow sighed deeply and opened her dark green eyes. She was nervous, but who could blame her? In only a few hours she'd be on a plane back to a place where had decimated and friends she had tried to kill. So Insomnia was extremely justified.

The redhead closed her eyes and tried to will away all her thoughts and focus on nothing. Nothing except cool, sweet slumber. A slumber which she could wake from bright and refreshed and… who was she kidding? Her Insomnia was here to stay and her thoughts were going to spin around millions of times once again, and keep her up once again.

She was worried too. Worried about what was going to happen in the day when she showed up in the airport. How was she supposed to act? To say? 'Hey guys, how you been? Anything interesting happened since I tried to kill you all?' No, she couldn't say that, but she couldn't say half the things she wanted to either. 

Willow just wasn't the Willow that had left Sunnydale. She also wasn't the one that had destroyed it, or the ideal once Xander seemed to have kept in his mind. God, how was she going to face Xander and his quick to judge, only those who he deemed judge worthy?

A small tear slid down her face as she realized this was going to be the last night in a long time that she would be held in this loving embrace. She was going to be saying with Xander while Tara 'hid' out and kept her liveliness a secret. What was she going to do with out her love? Without her rock?

*

The hotel lobby doors slammed open and Gunn along with Wesley came trudging in with Angel dragging his feet behind them as they supported him. Fred was across the room in a split second to help them.

Nich jumped over the counter in one swift motion, "Where's William?"

"I'm here," Spike muttered as Justine helped him stumble into the room. Nich hurried over lending another shoulder for him to lean against.

"You look like hell," She murmured. Her shoulder began to feel damp and warm where his lower arm was wrapped around her shoulder. "Oh shit, we better get you bandaged up as well. So wanna tell me what happened?"

"You're friend here nearly got him self drained by Angelus," Justine answered for him.

"Well we all new you were stupid Will, but really, did you have to get your self drained by a near dustinged vamp instead of a more lively one?" Nich shook her head as the three stumbled toward the bathroom. 

*

"I am so bored," Cordelia sighed as she made herself busy be watching various stupid people perform extremely stupid acts in various dimensions. "Even this has gotten old after the last million decades or so."

*

Lilah swore inwardly as she was lectured by her boss on both sleeping with the enemy and losing the only person who knew Angels whereabouts. She found herself smiling after a few minutes of it however.

"I'm afraid sir that this lecture has gotten quite old, in fact so have you." She stood slowly glancing at her 'boss'.

"What do you think you're-"

"You see sir, I've been talking to people, such as Mr. Bennigton about the way you run things around here, and he agrees with me that you just aren't the right man for the job anymore."

"What? You went over my head?!'

Lilah smiled as she nodded, "Of course that won't be so…" She pushed a small button in her pocket. "Hard anymore." As she finished her sentence his head rolled across grand oak table. "'Cause I'm in charge now."

The room had gone deathly silent as everyone stared at the beheaded man.

"Any questions?" Lilah glanced around at the frozen men and women. "Alright then, this meeting is over."

  
  


~If you don't believe in all of your dreams then your fears will never go away~

(Off a random quote list on in the forum at www.ghostoftherobot.com) 

****

_Author Note: Thanks for the reviews and I'm happy you all like it so much, also my web page was updated and if anyone wants to send me any fics to add onto it I will… I've got around 27 stories that I really enjoyed/loved reading and a few really long ones that I'm still formatting to go up… www.geocities.com/starsightvioces sorry its been so long… I have been memorizing a monologue for winter play try outs…  learning a dance routine for the recital, practicing the viola and guitar, homework, school, church and ect…add writers block that and well… oh in my writers block I've been reading through the earlier parts of the fic and decided to edit them cause well things may be spelled right but that doesn't mean the right word was used… so those new edited parts will be put in place randomly. ^_^_

To be continued in: _***Dang it! I seriously haven't named it yet!***_

Reviews are very nice! Thanks all of you who take the time to review! I'm so happy I have over 100; I never thought I would get that many, ever! ^_^ Thanks everyone!


	29. Part Twentyeight Second Chances 41 days

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: _PG-13 for Angst and ect. __And CD___

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. Oh and a few others…_

Authors note_:  Okay, really sorry about the long wait… school then break for holidays, getting my computer upgraded not having win word, and accidently not saving two parts really screwed me up. I know I said they'd be back in SD in part 30 but its looking like part 32. Anyway sorry and enjoy! _

_***_

**Twenty-Eight**

**_Second Chances_**

****

_41 days_

"-Going to paint your nails a nice shiny neon pink," Nich's voce filtered through his dreams as he drifted toward conciseness. "Oh, and I'll even paint nice smiley faces over them and each finger will have a different emotion. Then I'll paint your toes a pretty blue to match your eyes-"

"When are you going to do this?" Spike mumbled sleepily as he rolled over to face her. Nich sat in a chair next to the bed he was sleeping in. 

"Oh in about thirty seconds if you hadn't woke up." Nich giggled as her 'big brother' rolled his eyes. Tossing a strand of wavy blond hair over her shoulder she grabbed something off the in table. "Sit up."

Spike slowly did as he was told and was surprised as she set up a tray over his lap and she placed a plate with a large sandwich and hot cocoa with those mini marshmallows on top of it. "You're the best Kat."

"Oh you know I am," Nich smiled. "Don't think this is going to happen every time you let yourself get drained though cause I'm way too lazy to even think about getting up and making…"

*

A bright light filled his vision, though it was a giant blurred light, as he managed to open his eyes. Closing them quickly the dark haired vampire with a soul blinked rapidly several times before managing to clear his fuzzy vision.

"Here, Drink this." A familiar female voice told him, Fred. 

Angel complied readily swallowing the entire mug in just a few seconds. Groaning he managed to murmur his thanks.

"You're welcome," She smiled sweetly as Gunn entered the room. "You scared us with the whole disappearing thing, we're all just glad we were able to find you."

"I'm glad to be here," Angel replied hoarsely. He glanced around and attempted to push himself up. 

"Hey man, watch it, you're all skin and bones," Gunn placed a hand on Angels shoulder.

Even with the slayer blood Angel still looked anorexic and had very little muscle whatsoever. Angel leaned back as Fred placed a pillow behind him.

"Where's Connor?" 

Fred bit her lip and smiled sadly, "He's in his room playing Mario Bro's."

Angel closed his eyes briefly as the pain of his own sons betrayal flashed across his mind. "Fr-"

"We know," She replied fidgeting. "We had a long talk, he realizes now that you're his father… and that you're _not_ a monster. He's kind of out of it now, you know processing all the information at once."

"What Fred's trying to say is he's-" Gunn was cut off.

"Sorry." Connor said quietly from the door. Looking up from his hands to meet Angel's eyes he replied sincerely. "I'm sorry."

*

"I'll miss you!" Giles was on the receiving end of a bear hug from two Wiccans. The three of them were in an airport getting ready for Willow and Tara to board their respective flights to Sunnydale and LA.

Giles smiled and leaned down to kiss both of their foreheads, "I'll miss you as well, it'll be quite boring without our umm fashion shows."

Tara laughed, "You'll have to come visit Sunnydale."

"Oh yes!" Willow agreed. "You can come for Christmas and we can have a big party with lots of goodies and presents!"

"And me coming for Christmas won't be entirely for the extra presents?" Giles asked trying to hide a smile.

"What?!" Willow smiled innocently. "How could you think that Giles, you know we love you!"

"Yes, I know you do," Giles said as the three hugged once more.

"Final boarding call for…"

"You two better get going," Giles told them as they pulled apart.

"We'll miss you Giles," Tara smiled as she reached out to grasp Willows hand.

"I'll miss you two," Giles smiled at them. "Now get going, you don't want to miss you're flight!"

*

He would have preferred a shout, some yelling even an attack to this. This was the most painful thing in the world to him. Silence. Complete and utter silence, so much that his normally cool exterior weakened and broke leaving a teenage boy shuffling his feet as he tried to avoid his father's gaze.

Fred and Gunn exchanged a look and the young texan cleared her throat, "Well we better go check on the others… make sure no ones umm hurt."

"Yah," Gunn nodded following his girlfriend.

Connor watched them go before turning back toward Angel, his eyes still diverted to the carpeted floor.

"You hurt me Connor." Angel said softly causing Connor to move from foot to foot once more. "I trusted you, gave you a chance, and you betrayed me."

Connor opened his mouth to speak as he finally looked up into Angel's eyes. His mouth closed as he saw the look on Angels face.

"I trusted you. We all did." Angel slowly got out of bed. "I should tell you to get out." 

Connor nodded slightly his gaze slid towards the door. 

" But, from what Fred tells me you are truly sorry so I'm willing to give you one more chance, this time however you'll have to _earn_ my trust." 

Connor didn't say a word he just nodded. He started suddenly when he felt Angel's arms encircle him in an awkward hug.

"Now, I have some questions I need answered. So, how about we go find everyone?"

*

Justine slowly awkwardly accepted the envelope Wesley held out for her. 

"Thanks," she muttered.

"It's enough to get you to Seattle for a fresh start… I managed to pull some strings to get you a job there," Wesley told her, his voice cold.

"And thanks again, it was about time this puppet became her own puppeteer after all." She smiled as she stared at the bus, "You realize I could just take this money and run off instead of going to 'start a new life' right?"

"Absolutely," he nodded and Justine saw the thin line on his neck, the scar she had given him when she slit his throat.

"Then why are you doing this?"

"Have you ever heard of second chances?"

She laughed, "Sure. Never thought I'd get one."

Wesley shrugged, "Here's yours. You can take it or leave it, you're choice."

 She watched as he turned back to his car and stared down at the small white envelope. Maybe Seattle wouldn't be so bad at all… she always wanted to live somewhere where it rained a lot.

*

Angel opened the door to his room and stopped suddenly as he heard a thump and a yelp from the other side. Slowly opening it all the way he shook his head at Gunn and Fred.

Fred smiled sheepishly as she rubbed her nose, a blush spread across her pale skin at being caught, "Sorry."

Angel nodded then grew serious. "Where is he?"

"He who?" Gunn asked as he helped his girlfriend up, an arm securely around her thin waist.

"Spike." Angel looked back and forth. Through the childe-sire bond all he felt was a shadow, a locked door keeping him from locating Spike.

"Spike who?"

****

_Author note # 2: I hope you liked it! And thanks all those who reviewed…also thanks To SLB (Spikes Little Brother) for help getting past the Angel/Connor scene. Go check his story out if you like Spike and Mortal combat… well just go check it out! Also I'm wondering if anyone would be willing to beta for me, just checking for details that don't make sense…ect. It would just require reading over edited parts that I'd send you of the past chapters(not to quickly you can take your time) and then reading over a new chappy once I have it finished…if you're interested email me or post a review doesn't really matter to me, I love to read reviews and they get emailed to me anyway. Thanks for being patient with me!_

To be continued in: _uuuh… hi?_

I love reviews! So if you would just take 10 seconds to review! Please!


	30. Part Twetynine Uh Hi? 41 days

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: _PG-13 for Angst and ect. __And CD___

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. Oh and a few others…_

Authors note_:  I am extremely amused by the little robot office assistant and have spent a bit over two hours playing with him… it's so cute! And I'd also like to extend a big thank you to my new Beta FanOfFaith! Thank you so much… and I'd also wanna say how glad I am that people are so patient with me for I get out chappies every few weeks and all… oh and everyone be happy since Finals are over the worst grade I got was in Math and according to that teachers grading scale im .4 points away from a B… how sad! Too bad he didn't let me finish my final *Grumble*. Anyway that means I get to keep the computer in my room till the end of this quarter at least! Yay. SO more chappies! ^_^_

_Story time… _

_***_

**Part Twenty-Nine**

**_Uh… hi?_****__**

****

_41 days_

"What do you mean Spike who?" Angel frowned. "Spike, short… umm bleach-" The memory of his child flashed before his eyes. Instead of the bleach blonde hair there was the unruly, granted short, curly sandy blonde hair. His normal all black gothic-punk look replaced with jeans and a black tee along with a normal K-mart bought black jacket. "I mean he's short, British, blonde…"

"You mean William?" Fred asked as she pinched the bridge of her nose to make sure any bleeding stopped. "He's two rooms down on the rig-"

The three (Connor, Fred, and Gunn) frowned as Angel took off toward their new friends room. They exchanged confused looks before quickly following.

*

"-I even called the hotel to let them know we'd be back tomorrow to get our stuff," Nich said as she snatched Spikes glass of orange juice off his tray to take a sip. "'Cause you know it'd be a really bad thing if someone filched our stuff or they thought we weren't going to come back… I mean we left all our papers in the room and all."

Spike laughed inwardly as he ate. He didn't even have to say a single word since Nich and her oh-so-cheery-hyperness managed to keep up constant chatter without him. She reminded him so much of the pre-death Buffy… He took a bite of his sandwich and attempted to clear his mind of all Buffy related thoughts. He may have been going to be back in Sunnydale in only a week (or two) but that didn't mean that he couldn't put off thinking about the love of his unlife for that long.

"Oh, Tara's plane is supposed to be arriving this afternoon do you think we should meet her at the airport? After all she knows the hotel room number we're signed in at but we might no-"

The door swung open and a very awake, very confused and a tad bit angry Angel loomed in the doorway. "_Spike."_

*

The clouds drifted round the open window as Tara stared out of it. She smiled slightly as she saw the coastline nearing. Glancing away she opened her knapsack and removed the guide, it was so confusing and she wasn't even sure if she had translated it correctly.

"Miss?" a high, nice but obviously tired voice asked. "Are you hungry?"

Tara smiled up at the young woman. She felt sorry for her after hearing the ruckus a few seats ahead of her from a couple of men who had drunk a tad bit too much. "No thank you. But I could use another glass of ice water."

"Alright, I'll be right back with your water."

Tara sighed and turned back to her notes. Frowning as she read a few words she flipped through the small book and looked over it her breathe catching in her throat. She closed her eyes briefly, it didn't matter what happened. They'd get through it… one way or another.

**_Balance_**_ **broken,**_

**_Balance paused_**_._

_Stars will shine, their glitter bright,_

_Sun will rise as **whispers blunder**_

_Words to **cease** and bring about _

_The brightness of the **day.**___

_Balance **checked,**_

**_Balance_**_ returned._

**_Death_**_ in check-_

_Life of **rebirth**_

_What was **wrong **will be made right_

_Stars that **shone** once more_

_Made **dim.**___

_Check the **time**_

_Check the **date**_

**_Clock_**_ stopped_

_Now **returned** _

**_Balance_**_ broken_

_Then made **right.**___

The words on the page read as ramblings but this verse, if you will, stood out to her. It made her heart clench as she thought about its meaning. Things were always in motion, life ever changing. Maybe everything had fate… maybe a death that was supposed to happen couldn't be changed. 

She felt bad, she really did… this was a prophecy; she felt that deep within her heart. The words couldn't be made different. And she pitied the soul of the one who would return to death. She wished there was someway that she could change it.

"Miss here's your ice water," The flight attendant told her. Tara glanced up at the young woman. 

"Thank you," she said as she took the glass.

"You're welcome." The flight attendant smiled once more before heading toward the back of the plane.

*

"Angel." Spike said as he was slammed back against the bed a hand at his throat.

Nich had been tossed aside surprised by Angel's sudden attack. Her back hit the wall with a thud and the teen groaned.

Angels hand wrapped around his childes throat. "What did you do?"

Spike coughed and glared at his 'sire' as he felt the ever growing need for oxygen. 

Across the room Nich slowly stood her back sore from her flight into the wall, "Hey! Get off him!"

Angel answered, "Answer me spike-" Angel fell to the side as a lamp crashed across his head knocking him aside. 

"Hello," Nich said as she tossed the broken chards of glass aside. "He can't answer you when he can't _breathe_." She rolled her eyes. 

Spike coughed as he rubbed his neck, "Gees peaches can't a bloke do a nice thing for once and save his sires bloody ass."

"Sire?" 

Nich turned just enough to see Connor and the other standing in the doorway and cursed inside. This day was getting better and better every moment.

*

"Sire? Wouldn't that make you a vampire?" Gunn asked suddenly tense. The air in the hotel room had quite suddenly thickened.

"Would. Did. I got bored with it," Spike smiled his old smile and slipped his hands into his jean pockets as he shrugged. "Got me a nice sparkling soul and a new lot in life to go with it."

Nich rolled her eyes at her "brothers" sudden attitude.

"Oh I also got me a nice annoying tag along with it… the only real downside to it all."

Nich glanced over it him and her cat-eyes eyes narrowed, "Hey!"

"How?"

The dark brooding voice asked drawing Spikes attention back to Angel. 

Spike shrugged, "Went to Africa, met a bloke… fought some demons won." He yawned, "Pretty boring story actually-"

Nich snorted and rolled her eyes. Leaning down she picked up the large pieces of lamp and smiled 'sweetly', "I'm going to throw these away… and no I'm not going to pay for it. I'm broke as it is since the powers have nothing but 'eternal life in a good place' as a yearly or rather lifely wage."

The teen walked out of the room disgusted at her surrogate brother's act of bravado and deeming attitude as he showed of and flaunted in his sires face.

Fred touched her shoulder as she walked past, "We'll help you with that." Without waiting for either of the guys she stood next to protest she pulled them out of the room as well.

"So," Spike said as he shifted uncomfortably under Angels gaze.

He could smell it, and sense it, he was a predator seeing prey. "You're human," Angel stated rather than asked.

"Yep, well mostly anyway," Spike replied wishing he was somewhere else. In his one hundred and forty odd years he had never had to be looked down at or questioned by his sire since he first awoke after Dru had drained him and begged Angel to sire him for her.

Angel had complied and sired the young man even though Darla had protested because he had felt Drusilla's need for a companion through their bond every time Darla and he would go off. Also if he hadn't sired William Drusilla would have, and she who knows what kind of problems that would have caused.

"You're a Slayer," Angel's eyes widened at his realization. He had tasted it in his childes blood the night before. "How…?"

"Told you a demon bloke worked some mojo… though this wasn't exactly what I meant… he apparently worked for the powers."

The two fell into an awkward silence before Angel spoke, "Why?"  
 

Spike was silent for a few moments looking aside he moved toward the closed window looking out it as if he could actually see through the blinds. His eyes closed and he slipped his hands into his pockets.

"I hurt a girl."

***

To be continued in: _**currently unnamed** _

A. Note: _Okay it's a late start which is why the chappie is out so soon, and also I eanna say right now I am not a poet…but I think it got my point across and its also a warning for a future occurency due to which this fic will most likely have two alternate end_


	31. Part Thirty Brocken Horses 41 days

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: _PG-13 for Angst and ect. __And CD___

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. Oh and a few others…_

Authors note_:  Yes its been a while and the reason its out now is cause I'm sick and can't go on the thirty hour famine trip. You guys are so lucky. Anyway for those interested I know I said back to SD in this part but it's probably going to be in 32 that there back there. And yes I do drag this out, it's gonna be long baby. But not to long. Hopefully I'll be done with by may, hopefully. Oh thanks to my wonderful beta FanofFaith. Thanks for the reviews everyone._

_Story time… _

_***_

**Part Thirty**

****

**_Broken Horses_**

****

_41 days_

"That's what changed you mind? You hurt a girl? Who Drusilla, she could care less or rather more if you hurt her!"

"A _human_ girl." Spike clarified.

Angel couldn't help it, remembering all those years back to when his childe was newly sired, he laughed.

"You did this because you hurt a girl?" The vampire, whose life Spike had so recently saved, tried to cough out between chuckles. "What, did some "happy meal on legs" actually _mean_ something to you?"

Spike spun at the mocking tone he heard and let his anger go. He hit him, hard, a right hook that smashed into his jaw with a crack. 

"What the?!" Angel stared at the fuming slayer in front of him.

"You have no right to talk like that about her!" Spike growled. "In fact you have no right to talk about her at all, not any more."

Angel was confused, "Who the hell are you talking about Spike?" Then it clicked. "Buffy."

Spike said nothing. 

"You're in love with Buffy." Angel was stunned, then he growled. "And you hurt her."

*

"So, do you think they'll be alright up there?" Fred asked glancing toward the stairs as she searched through a drawer for super glue.

Nich shrugged, "I don't know about Angel, but William can take care of himself, most of the time anyway. Sides I doubt they'll kill each other, the powers would be pretty upset if they did."

"Let me get this straight, William is- was a Vampire?" Gunn asked suddenly. 

Nich glanced up and raised a single eyebrow, "Yes." She stressed the single syllable word, "and now he's a vampire _slayer _also known as the one who kills vampires for a living."

"I thought slayers were only girls," Fred frowned as she shut the drawer and unscrewed the cap to the glue.

Nich shrugged, "Things change. I guess the powers wanted more… erm firepower or something." She frowned as she tried to think of a better word to describe it.

"So he's some sort of super human vampire hunter?" Connor asked.

Nich turned to look at him and shrugged, "Basically with added vamp sensors to go along with the package."

"So he's like me then." Connor stated plainly. 

"I don't…" Nich frowned and bit her lip as she fitted two pieces of the lamp together. "I don't think so. You see a slayer has to be called and since Spike only became a slayer a few months ago and didn't die till this summer…"

"He died?" Fred asked shocked.

"Again," Nich nodded. "But he got better."

"Awe."

*

"Let me explain," Spike said turning to face his sire. 

Angel relaxed slightly, his fist and jaw remained clenched as he tried to contain himself. His demon raged to confront his childe.

"A few years ago I returned to Sunnydale after the whole ring of amara incident… very sorry about the whole pokers through chest thing by the way," Spike waved off a reply as he continued. "This government group that called themselves the Initiative grabbed me and placed a behavioral modification chip in my head. Then long story short I ended up running to the slayer for help. I helped her out, slaying demons and yadda yadda yadda. Till she died, then I watched over the bit till Red resurrected 'er." 

Spike sighed, "One of Reds not so bright ides. Anyway then we had a thing, physical, mutual hurt thing going on and after a while we broke up. It ended up with me and the demon girl, who had since been left at the altar by the whelp going at it in a fit of drunken sorrows and getting caught thus big confrontation and yadda, yadda. I went to talk it out with Buffy and things happened. Bad things- So then I went to Africa and competed in some trials. And viola, here I am all decked out and a slayer. Who'da thought?"

Angel was silent as he stared at the man in front of him and his brown eyes had softened a bit, just a bit. 

"What did you do Spike?"

Spike turned away focusing on a spot on the wall. 

"What did you do?"

He swallowed and closed his eyes, "I was upset. The demon… it took over. She managed to stop me though, threw me across the bloody room."

"Spike," Angel said calmly trying to coax him into continuing.

Bright blue eyes turned to him, they were crystalline in color and filled with sparkling tears that were ready to cascade down tanned skin, "I tried to rape her Angel. I nearly did."

*

"Are we going to prod the ponies?" A sweet voice asked excited.

"Of course," the reply was simple, and direct.

Drusilla giggled slightly letting a cruel smile engulf her doll like face, "Then we can make them into glue to fix all the broken dollies. Granmum would like that."

"Your 'granmum's' dead Drusilla," He glanced at her his brown eyes bored.

"Tsk tsk tsk," she tilted her head. "Shouldn't talk to your mum that way, even if the king of carpes allows it."

He rolled his eyes and let the demon mask fall across his features, "Its time for dinner, are you ready to eat?"

"I didn't much like the taste of books in my mouth," Drusilla ran a finger across her lips. "It made me miss my boy…" She pouted whining a little. "Can I chase the pony this time?"

"Only if you eat her whole."

Drusilla clapped her hands, "Oh I will! She'll go down smooth not at all sticky, almost like a horsy."

* 

Angel was torn between two actions. He could either comfort his childe and begin to reaffirm the bond between, them not caring that his childe was human. Or he could turn away from his childe because he was filled with anger for what he had done. The only other option that came quickly to his mind was to kill him, and that was just not an option.

Sighing he took an unneeded breath. "I haven't seen Buffy in over a year. Her business is hers."

Spike glanced at him confused, his eyes conveying his thoughts.

"I don't know what happened between you two Spike, and frankly I don't want to think about it." Angel smiled slightly. "What Buffy and I had was over years ago, before I even left Sunnydale. There's no way I can change that even if I wanted to. And for the record I don't, I have a life here. Or unlife rather."

Spike nodded, "You're mad though…?"

"That you tried to rape Buffy? Yes." Angel nodded. "But what I don't know is everything that led up to it. From watching you with Dru I believe it would take a lot to push you over the edge. Which is why I'm saying this, you're on a road I never thought you'd be able to walk. One I didn't think I'd be able to, the road to redemption. I would rather stand and support you with all your mistakes and be able to say I'm proud of one of my… my sins then turn my back because of one of yours."

Spike nodded, "You're proud, of me?"

"Maybe," Angel frowned. "In the whole turning good thing… all right yes just a bit."

Spike laughed slightly, "Poofter."

"Look whose talking," Angel pointed out

***

To be continued in: (unnamed so far once again)__

A. Note: Angel being nice? Wow. Who'da thought? I'm just trying to get back to SD alright? So if you wanted a bigger confrontation… sorry for the disappointment. Also I'm shamelessly going to promote my first music video at: go me! Please email me about it if you do watch it, I'd like to know if you like it!__


	32. Part Thirtyone Unpacking Baggage 25 day

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: _PG-13 for Angst and ect. __And CD___

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. Oh and a few others…_

Authors note_: Me not grounded after conferences… is this a first? We're back in Sunnydale… why? Because I had writers block on how to end the LA scene so I took the easy way out… cheesy flashback scene. Oh look at me, I'm going to take Karate or Tai-Chi(spl?) as my PE credit. I'm cheating the high school system using the Community College…Oh my towns mall lost its gottchalks and emporium and everything in the food court but a pizza place and the Chinese food place. How very sad. Well, we still have sears._

_And now the light at the end of the… wait… no it's just a new part…_

_***_

**Part Thirty-one **

****

**_Unpacking baggage_**

****

_25 days_

"-know," Nich rolled her eyes as she spoke into the cell phone. "I'll be-" She frowned. "No. I picked it up. Yes, yes I did." She sighed and adjusted the strap to her sports bag.  "Fine, I'll do it when I get home... in a few hours." She tapped her fingers against the black strap of the bag. 

"I'm at the school. Yes I'll be home before dark- of course! Will I'm already- I'm late Will. Goodbye Will." She rolled her eyes as he continued. "Whatever. Listen- I got to go- Goodbye!" She slapped the mouth piece shut and shook her head.

Nich adjusted her ponytail, making sure all of her long wavy blonde hair was securely placed in it. She took a deep breath and let it out before pushing the door to Sunnydale High's Gym open.

Upbeat music filled her ears and she gritted her teeth till her ears adjusted to the blaring noise. Plastering a smile on her face she headed over to where the dance team was practicing.

Nich's senses screamed at her as she neared the group, two of the girls weren't exactly normal. She placed them as slayers after having hung out with Spike for so long. 

The dance moves that the team was performing where fairly simple, probably because this was the teams first year and they didn't have that many experienced dancers as of yet. A few of the girls were obviously dancers and others obviously not. Nich set her bag down off to the side near a group of other similar bags and walked over toward the coach.

The coach was a young blonde woman who turned fake blue eyes toward her. She wore black exercise pants and a light blue tank top with a jacket over top. A red whistle on a yellow chain fell around her neck. The coach smiled at her with pink lip glossed lips.

Nich spoke as the pop song came to an end, "I'm Nicole Saulder, I just moved here."

"Oh, where from?" A girl in the front of the group asked.

"London, my brother and I were visiting family during the summer."

"Cool," A blonde haired girl with matching Calvin Kline clothes started. "I've always wanted to go to London."

"Oh, you'd of loved it," Nich replied with a smile. _Until a vampire ate you because of your annoying vocal ranges._

"Well," The coach nodded after adding her name to a list. "Do you have your sports registration papers?"

"Right here," Nich slipped a folded sheet of paper out of her jacket pocket and handed it to her."

"Okay then, I am coach Wilkins." Faith smiled at her. "Why don't you take a position next to Miss Jade." 

Nich looked around the room confused till a girl with purplish red hair waved at her. 

"That'd be me."

"Awe," Nich nodded at she took her place. "I'm Nich."

"Nice to meet you Nich, I'm Echo, not an echo my names Echo," Echo rolled her eyes. "My mom was a hippie."

Nich laughed, "Oh. So, is Coach Wilkins tough?"

"Well I'll just put it this way, if you're not in shape now you will be before our first competition."

"Well then," Nich stretched her arm above her head. "I shouldn't have any problems."

*

Spike slid another box across the wood floor into a growing pile of empty boxes. There new house was magnificent and quite large. It may have hurt to earn the money to buy it the way he had but since he did he would have enough money for everyone to live off of for several decades.

The group was in a good financial situation and Tara had even managed to get a scholarship from the coven to study once again at Sunnydale University. The University didn't even stop to ask why a 'dead' person was reenrolling in classes.

Picking up another box he headed to the kitchen to unpack its contents. Amazingly their house was pretty homely, especially since once Tara had arrived in LA all the girls had gone shopping for stuff. 

~~~~

_The door to the Hyperion opened and a nervous young woman walked through. __Tara__ smiled awkwardly at the group in the Lobby till Nich rounded the corner._

_"__Tara__!" The teen ran to her. _Tara___ barely had enough time to drop her bags to the floor before she was enveloped in a hug._

_Pulling back Nich motioned toward the stairs. "William nearly got him self killed, again. Twice."_

_Tara sighed with a chuckle on her lips, "That's our William."_

_"What about William?" Spike asked as he moved down the stairs._

_Nich shrugged, "Oh nothing, just talking about your tendency to nearly get your self killed."_

_"Oh that." Spike glanced around the room. "Tara this is Fred, Gunn, Conner, and my poof of a sire."_

_"Angel." The souled vampire corrected Spike with a glare._

_Nice t-to meet you." __Tara__ stuttered slightly._

_"I'm Fred," Fred waved to her from across the lobby._

~~~

***

"Knock, knock!" Willow announced as she opened the door to the old fashioned two story house. "Anybody home?"

She glanced at the box strewn living room. "Tara? Nich? William?"

Willow made her way through the living room and into the dining room which was separated by a large archway from the living room and staircase. Another archway gave room for a door and breakfast counter which was strewn with boxes as well. Pulling up a stool willow sat down on it.

"'Ello Red." Spike said standing up with a box in his hand startling the Wiccan.

"So you are home," Willow smiled and pulled an unopened box toward her. "Where is everyone?"

"Nich's at school trying out for the bloody dance team," Spike grumbled. "And Tara went to a furniture store to get a sofa and matching recliners. She wants this house to 'match'."

Willow laughed, "She wanted to hire a designer and you told her no? Or did Nich want the designer?"

"Nich wanted a designer and Tara made me compromise," Spike shook his head "Tara and Nich get to decorate the house." At Willows look he continued quickly, "Not that I wanted to decorate, or anything."

"No," Willow shook her head containing giggles, "Of course you didn't." She glanced around as she ran her fingers over the uncut tape holding box together.  
  


"Oh," Spike looked around. Seeing the razor he grabbed it and handed it to her. "Here you go."

"Thanks." She smiled as she cut the tape holding the box together.

"So Red, how've you been lately?" Spike leaned against the counter as Willow opened he box.

"You guys already bought a blender?" She frowned at him. "Where'd you get all this money?"

"I sold my family estate while I was in England," Spike replied quickly. He grabbed an empty box and tossed it into the dining room. It landed near the box holding the dismantled dinner table.

Willow choked on air, "You have an estate?"

Spike shrugged, "I was the sole remaining heir when I died, and yes I did. I kept it in repair over the years and just decided it was time to say goodbye," He smiles slightly. "Sides I still own the country house."

He tilted his head and met her eyes, "I wasn't using it anyway. Now, you need to stop avoiding my question. Willow, how have you been?"

She fiddled with her bracelet witch was a lot looser than it had been the last time he say her, "So if your so rich do you really need the teaching job?"

Spike stared intently at her, "Willow."  
  
  


She glanced away, "It's kind of hard. Did you hear how I wished that I wouldn't have to face them and how it came true?"

"Tara told me something about that, your stomach healed yet?"

"Yah," Willow shrugged. "I put myself, and them, in so much trouble. I was lucky Dawn wasn't badly hurt or permanently paralyzed."

Spike nodded, "You where lucky."

"And," Willow smiled slightly. "I've learned never to go out alone looking for an evil demon."

"Something I need to learn right?" Spike asked.

"No," Willow joked. "You nearly getting yourself killed should happen everyday."

"Glad someone agrees with me." Spike grinned as he received a light punch in the arm. "Oh the pain, the pain!"

Willow rolled her eyes and sighed, "I'm getting better though. Not so much with the hiding more with the chatting out my pain. Although it's getting kind of hard to hide the fact that Tara's still alive." She sighed, "Plus I miss the hanging out with people who aren't constantly worried about me diving off the deep end of the pool."

"Now you know how I felt."

"Yah," She nodded. "I really do."

"So Red, want to help with the unpacking? There'll be pizza involved when the others get here."

"Well who can say no to food?"

***

To be continued in: _They don't serve breakfast in Hell_

A. Note:  Thanks for all the wonderful reviews people, and wow I'm almost under 20 days on the count down… It won't end with the count down though people. I've got an arc ready; think of this as a season of Buffy from no on. An alternant season 7, hehehe. There will be some similarities just do you know cause I'm trying to keep some things in balance and remember this story focus's on Spike with a side of Nich, Tara, Buffy and Dawn. So the other characters will play big parts but aren't the major focus. Oh, also I'm attempting something new that I wasn't going to do before because I don't usually end up typing it up when I write it down first but when I'm at school I'm going to write a bit and type it up when I get home… and now I'm rambling….

_Review Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ^_^_


	33. Part Thirty Two Breakfast 21 days

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: _PG-13 for Angst and ect. __And CD___

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. Oh and a few others…_

Authors note_: Wow, over a month, dam myself dam. Actually all my writing time was taken up by soccer. **Sniff** and school work and various other things. My new science teacher is funny yet scarry. He burned al hole in the floor during one of his ex._

_And now the light at the end of the… wait… no it's just a new part…_

_***_

**_Part Thirty Two_**

****

**_They don't serve breakfast in hell_**

_21 days_

The room was dark with newly painted blue-black walls, the official name of the paint: Black Flame. Charcoal grey curtains hung over the open window and swayed slightly in the breeze. 

A few boxes and bags littered the oak wood floor and price tags from recently bought clothing items and school supplies added to the mess. A simple but elegantly carved mahogany stained bed was covered with charcoal and midnight blue bed linens.

The blankets moved slightly as the beds occupant frowned in her sleep. She turned over as if finding a more comfortable position would chase the dreams away. 

The breeze turned into a gust of wind that tossed itself into the spacious room through the charcoal curtains, which billowed out into the moonlit room. It caressed its way across the cluttered floor and the nearly empty book case and matching dresser. It fluttered through the room and its breeze moved a strand of wavy blonde hair from the teenagers' cheek and caressed the white skin as the frown deepened. In her restless sleep tears fell from her closed eyes as horror filled her sleeping features.

**

_"Mommy?" Her small voice echoed into the large house, her small hand twisted the golden doorknob slightly letting the linen closets door crack open slightly. "Mommy, I waited."_

_The little girl stared out into the dimly lit hallway before gripping the bottom of the shelf her mother had placed her on before telling her to be silent and to wait for her to return. Her long blonde hair framed her golden face as her yellow eyes adjusted to the darkness._

_The hallway brightened in front of her and she giggled as she stared at the wall across from her. Carefully she slipped from her perch and landed lightly on the carpeted floor._

_"Mommy!" She called out into the quiet house a smile on her pink lips. "Daddy tried to paint the wall again!"_

_Her young mind registered the dark color over the cream colored walls as the paint her father had attempted to use in the bathroom to 'brighten' it up from the brisk white color it was just last week. _

_She giggled as she touched the dark liquid smeared on the wall. "Daddy made a mess!" She called out._

_She smeared the liquid across her new rose colored jeans she bit her lip. Her mom wasn't going to be happy that she ruined the brand new pants._

_Her lips turned into a pout as she glanced around the darkened hall, "Mommy?" She called out her high voice a squeak. A little bit of light drifted from the door to her parent's bedroom. _

_"Mommy!" She called out again as she walked towards the color splattered door._

_She past by several dark smudges on the carpet and a thick gold band that had rolled out from the guest bedroom which door was only slightly open._

_Pushing open the door to her parents' room she smiled softly at her mother. The telly was playing, it's flashing lights played out into the dark room. Her mother leaned against the foot of the bed faced toward the small box. The television played a scene over and over. _

_On the screen her mommy and daddy kissed in front of a tall man holding a book. Her mom was dressed in a long flowing white dress a veil over her eyes and her daddy in a dark tux. _

_"Mommy?" she asked as she walked over to her mother. She sat down next to her mother whose head rested against the dark comforter of the bed._

_Her mother didn't answer so she pulled her legs up against her and stared at the television screen. She leaned her head against her mothers shoulder. _

_She didn't even notice the dark wood that pierced her mother's heart, or the blank stare that filled her mothers normally sharp and pointed green eyes._

_Her young mind was oblivious to the death and despair that filled her world._

_She remained there leaning up against her mothers body for several hours till her aunt and uncle found her there. _

_**_

The night had since brightened as the moon set and the sun arose to start a new day. Nich rolled over and stared at the red numbers as her alarm clock continued to blare. She sighed and let her hand rub the sleep and tears from her eyes before her mouth widened into a yawn.

A sharp knock on the door brought her out of her memories.

"Nich? Are you up?" Tara's voice called from the other side of the door.

The teenager glanced around the room and sighed, her hand dropped to her side. "Yah Tara, I'm up!" 

** 

Nich yawned as she walked into the dining room and sat on one of the wooden stools.

"Oh pancakes, yum." She smiled as Tara placed the plate in front of her. "So where's William? He's the reason I have to get up so early. If he wasn't a teacher I could have slept in for about a half hour longer!" She announced grimly as she spread butter over the golden brown 'bread'.

"Still getting ready I think," Tara shrugged her lips twisted into a smile. The Wiccan poured more of the pancake mix into the pan as she spoke. "Are you ready for you're first day of school at Sunnydale High?"

"Is any high school student to be ever ready?" Nich asked her left eyebrow rose slightly as she poured maple syrup over her thoroughly buttered pancake.

"No," Tara laughed and shook her head causing her long newly darkened hair to twist in its ponytail behind her. She smiled one of her half-smiles. "I guess they aren't."

The two looked up as the male of the house hold spoke up shakily from the doorway to the dining room, "I don't think I'm ready for this."

"If I'm ready then-" Nich stopped dead as she saw him. "Oh my gawd."

Spike glared at her as he placed his coat on the back of a dining room chair. He had on a charcoal gray slacks and a blue button up shirt. His sandy blonde hair was gelled and slightly tousled so that it curled a bit.

"Wow," Nich smirked as she popped a forkful of pancake into her mouth. "I'm going to be so popular." 

Spike looked up at her and frowned, his scarred eyebrow raised. 

Nich smiled even broader, "All the girls, and probably a few guys, will want to be my friend just so they can hang at my house to have a chance at seeing my hot older brother in a towel."

At Spikes look Tara laughed, "You look great."

"Thanks," Spike told them as he walked past Nich into the kitchen. "Pancakes?"

"Yours is just about done," Tara nodded over her shoulder. "There's some hot water in the kettle and teabags in the second cupboard to the right."

Spike smiled at the dark brunette Wiccan as he went to retrieve the ingredients for the tea. "Thanks ever so Glinda."

"Don't think this is going to happen every morning," Tara smiled devilishly. "After today you two is either going to learn how to cook or survive on cereal. My first Class doesn't start till ten."

"Guess that means Will's going to starve," Nich replied as she grabbed a slice of Bacon off of a plate. 

"I'll have you know I can cook," Spike answered stiffly as he placed a tea bag in his mug. "In fact I can cook quite well. I'd be worried about starving myself if I were you."

"You see I thought of that, that's why I'm taking 'Food's and you' as my occupational Education course. I figured I could learn to cook healthily and not have to worry about starving myself and becoming grossly thin and anorexic." Nich flipped her long hair over her shoulder so the blonde curls wouldn't get into the syrupy goodness that covered her breakfast. "So, I have no reason to worry unlike you mister-I-lived-on-blood-for-one-and-a-half-centuries-and-had-no-reason-to-cook-unless-it-involved-torture."

Spike glared at her as he ran a hand through his blonde locks and mussed the curls up even more than they already had been.

Tara chuckled before glancing over her shoulder at the ex-vampire, "She does have a point."

**

The clink of Trix cereal as it hit the bottom of her empty bowl seemed to help Buffy wake up. The female slayer hadn't gotten much sleep last night after she was ambushed by a small gang of vampires. Luckily for her all cuts and bruises were easily hid by the long sleeved white blouse she wore that tied around the middle. 

"G'morning," Dawn yawned as she entered the kitchen and moved to grab herself an empty bowl. Placing it on the counter the brunette teen turned to one of the cabinets and took out a box of Raisin Bran.

"Morning," came the short reply. Buffy set the red cereal box with the white rabbit off to the side and picked up a carton of two percent milk from her right.

"I didn't hear you come in last night," Dawn announced as she pulled up a stool to sit on. "Tough night on patrol?"

Buffy glanced at her sister who had just begun to pour herself a bowl of cereal and smiled at the growing young woman. She used to feel the need to hide her sister from the darker side of life, to protect her from it. She should have known it would be impossible. The girl that sat before her, who now wore brand new boots with heels, was the continuation of her. Dawn was made from her blood and thus had inherited Buffy's calling as a part of her own.

"Not so much, just a couple of vamps and a Fetish-"

"F'Kesht?"

Buffy nodded, "F'Kiss demon. They actually seemed to have a plan. Only their plan only seemed to involve jumping me all at once with swords and no skill."

"Bet it made them feel pretty manly though," Dawn replied as she spooned sugar onto her cereal.

"What?" Buffy grabbed her sister's hand on the fourth scoop and removed the spoon from the teens clutches.

Dawn rolled her eyes, "The swords. _Weapons_, you know how weapons make guys feel-"

"Please tell me this is about patrol and not the uh, the-" Xander stated from the door to the kitchen.

"The sex talk," Dawn supplied with a smile.

"Wow," Buffy stated as she looked the construction worker over. "Look at you, the suit wearing you, quite stylish."

"Did someone die?" The teen asked as she lifted a cereal covered spoon to her mouth.

"Ha ha," Xander set the long card board tube on the table and unscrewed the lid. 

"Oh, those are the plans?" Buffy asked as he slipped them out of the container.

"Yep," Xander nodded and walked into the dining room where he could splay them out across the window. 

Dawn followed her sister and Xander into the dining room her cereal bowl in hand, "I'm thinking you didn't bring these just to make sure I knew my way around the high school."

"Actually, I was comparing the new high schools plans with the old plans and I found out something interesting…" Xander trailed off as he lined up the buildings. "Awe here we are."

"What?" Buffy peered at the confusing lines and words that made up the over lapping plans for the high schools. The sunlight filtered through the paper making it easier to see both plans at once.

"This is the old schools library or as other wise known, the hellmouth." Xander pointed out. "When you line the two plans up guess what lines up perfectly."

"The cafeteria? Oooh, evil mystery meat." Buffy smiled slightly then grew serious. "What?"

"The principal's office."

"So," Dawn put in after a moment of silence. "Can I have dibs on slaying the principal?"

"Dawn, we don't know for sure that he's evil." Buffy pointed out. "Plus I wouldn't want something like that on your record-"

"This coming from the girl who blew up the school?" Her sister pointed her voice interrupted Buffy's train of thoughts.

"They never officially proved that." Buffy shot back. "Sides that was for a good reason, the mayor was evil."

Dawn rolled her eyes and dug back into her Raisin Bran.

Buffy watched her sister eat for a moment before she remembered something, "Oh! I forgot to give you your back to school present Dawn."

"Phwezent?" Dawn mumbled through a full mouth as she watched Buffy grab a box from a cupboard. 

Buffy smiled broadly as she handed the box to her sister and watched her expectantly. "Come on, open it."

Dawn ripped the paper off the box hurriedly and opened the lid, her blue eyes shined and her mouth formed a perfect 'o'.

"You like?" Buffy asked her smile even broader if possible.

*

The small silver car pulled into parking place number thirteen in the teacher's parking lot. Spike stopped the car and grabbed the red and gold parking permit off his dashboard and hung it from his rear view mirror.

"Wrong way," Nich pointed out from where she was adjusting the strap on her back pack.

"Huh?" Spike glanced over at her. 

Nich rolled her eyes and motioned with her chin to the permit. "It has to face the other way or the guy who gives tickets won't be able to read it."

"Oh, right." Spike flipped the permit over and removed the keys from the ignition. "You have your cell?"

"Yep," Nich popped the 'p' and smiled at him. "It's on vibrate, so any nastys show up, don't hesitate to call… I'm so itching for detention on my first day."

"You get detention and you're grounded for a month." Spike glared at her.

"Hollow threats," she replied teasingly. Nich opened the door and climbed out, once out of the silver car she slung the back packs single strap over her shoulders and adjusted her black shirt.

"Don't push it Kat," Spike replied belatedly as he grabbed his notebook and stuck his own cell phone in his pant pocket along with his wallet and car keys.

Nich glanced around the parking lot and grumbled, "We're so early."

"That's the general idea pet, 'm a teacher and all now," Spike smiled slightly. "'got to get here early to prepare for class. Sides you're a teenage girl you should be off socializing and all… talking about boys and whatnot." 

"Yah, I'll go do that," she rolled her eyes. "Gawd, I really hate stereotypes, being a teenager is not all about the opposite sex… really it isn't. There's also sports and homework and…"

"The opposite sex?" Spike supplied.

Nich glared at him, "Well then I guess I'll go socialize. See you sixth period."

"What?"

"Your sixth period world history class, which I'm in… see you then."

"You're what?" Spike frowned and flipped open to his class schedules where student names were listed. "Bloody hell."

"Gee, you didn't know?" the seer teased. "Well I hope no one else you know is in one of you're classes, unless it was sixth period, cause I'd really love to see their reaction."

Spike glared at the teens back as she walked off, he had a sinking feeling that today was going to be a very long one.

"Oh, Nich!" He called after her before she had gotten too far away.

"What?!"

"I have a teachers meeting after school so I can't give you a ride," He yelled.

She shrugged in response, "I have Dance but I think I'll be alright walking home _before_ dark with my 'special' abilities."

He nodded, "I may not be home till late though… I was thinking about seeing the night sights."

"The night sights?" Nich frowned. ""Oh! The night sights! I get it, you have fun and be careful, don't run into anything you can't handle."

"Me not able to handle something?" Spike laughed.

Nich frowned at him and crossed her arms over her chest, "Yah, you not being able to handle something. Or how about someone? Hmmm? A certain blonde girl?"

"I can avoid her." He replied simply and turned away. 

The teenager watched him walk off and dropped her arms to her side. 'Way to go Nich,' she thought to herself as she sighed. "_Good luck! Like any slayer can avoid a fight… they'll probably jump each other by accident or something." She muttered to herself as she walked toward the main entrance._

Spike felt a flash of pain course through him at his 'sisters' words. He adjusted his notebook under his arm and absently tapped on its black covering. Sure he wasn't about to go out of his way to run into her. She probably never wanted to see his face again, but Tara had been sent to guide him, and she had been told they had to go to Sunnydale. He knew he'd have to face Buffy someday, but that didn't mean it had to be today.

Pushing his thoughts away he slipped into the school building at the gym entrance since it was closest. A blonde woman with blue eyes ran into him as she dug through her purse looking for something or other.

"Oh shit," Faith glanced up at him apologetically. "Sorry about that."

Spike and Faith both knelt down to pick of the various items that had fallen from the once brunettes purse and knocked heads. 

"Ow," They both muttered and gave each other small grins.

"Sorry about that," Spike told her as he handed her his stack of the blue sheets. Faith took them and shrugged.

"No problem," The once brunette rouge slayer frowned at him. "Do I know you?"

Spike returned her frown with a shake of his head, "I don't believe so."

"Oh, it's probably just your accent," Faith smiled awkwardly and adjusted her papers. "Nice running into you…"

"William," Spike supplied to her.

"Nice to meet you William," She smiled at him and tossed her hair before backing up a step. "I better get going, got to get ready for class."

"Yah, I have to get ready too, I'll see you later Miss…"

"Wilkins," she turned to walk away almost at a jog.

"Miss Wilkins." Spike shrugged at the woman's back as she hurried off in a panic. 'Must be the first day jitters,' he thought as he adjusted his notebook and continued on his way.

*

Faith leaned against the door of her office and sighted. He was British, but that didn't necessarily mean anything. There are many British people in the world, so what if every single watcher she's ever met happened to be British? It doesn't mean that every British teacher that works on the hellmouth is a watcher. Why was she kidding herself? Faith banged the back of her head back against the metal door. The watchers had to have found her sooner or later, now was as good a time as any.

*

Willow adjusted her bag before she entered the fixed up magic box. The small silver bell that now hung from a chain announced her entrance. She glanced nervously around the room and smiled awkwardly at Anya and her vengeance demon friend Halfrek.

"I'm assuming you aren't here to wreck havoc," Anya started without even looking as she removed various incense's from packages. "So I won't demand you leave, but I'm not going to let you take anything for free anymore without a reason. The only reason I can think of to _let_ you take anything is when an apocalypse rolls in, as long as you're not the cause. However, if you were I rather don't think I'd be able stop your black haired evil witch alter ego."

"Not here to take or buy," Willow told the demon. "But I am here to offer my assistance, my _free_ assistance. I'm feeling kind of guilty."

"Guilty?" Halfrek blinked at her as she dusted off her skirt and stood. "Why should you feel guilty?"

"I don't know, maybe because I oh flayed a guy and then tried to destroy the world?"

Anya gave her a pointed look.

"And I destroyed the Magic box," Willow bit her lip and glanced around the large room awkwardly.

"So?" Halfrek shrugged. "What I hear is you took your vengeance out on you're Girlfriends killer, sounds perfectly normal."

"For a vengeance demon maybe," Willow set her bag on the ground and walked over to the two demons. "But not so normal for me, being a human and all."

"Pfft," Halfrek waved away the notion. "Everyone takes some sort of vengeance, it's just humans aren't officially vengeance takers."

Anya glanced back forth between the two women in her room and smiled awkwardly, "Uh, Hallie I think I can handle things here for now, don't you have something you could be doing?"

Halfrek sighed, "I suppose, I've been meaning to check on a little boy in Walla Walla for a while… his parents were neglecting him but he was too young to talk-"

"Well then, here's your chance to go check on the little squirt," Anya grabbed a book from her fellow demons hands. "Have fun; perhaps we could meet for coffee tomorrow?"

"Of course, ten sound good?"

"Sounds great," Anya smiled. "And then I can even give you all the news about my date."

Halfrek smiled and with a wave of her arms she disappeared.

Anya turned to Willow and let the smile fall from her face, "You know I don't know why I got rid of her for you; I should have just let her stay and make you feel increasingly guilty for ruining my shop."

Willow nodded slightly, "Yah, you should have." She replied her voice a whisper.

"Oh well, what's done is done," Anya rubbed her hands together. "Alright then let's put you to work missy. You can start with the candle display and then move onto the roots… and then after that you can help me pick out the perfect dress for my date with Giles. It's going to have to be something fancy but still retain a sense of casualness."

***

To be continued in: _First Day Jitters_

Author Note: _Sorry for the long absence between parts, another should be out in a few days its just I've been so busy! I hadn't even realized it'd been over a month. Remember the countdown has gone from 147 to 21 days till the meeting which I can promise you will go semi fast since I'm being pushed by my muse to finish this before I reach a year. And yes I know how it's going to end but don't worry spuffyness will come soon. And no more months between updates I promise, I'm looking to next week or the week after!__  Oh and yes __Walla Walla__ is a real town. Oh I also made a new music video though it's not Spuffy… it's about Dawn. Yes Dawn. I've seen almost all the Dawn mvids on the net and I noticed a big trend. Every Dawn music video out there had a majority of just season 5 clips so mine has a majority of season 7 clips. Check it out at my website its set to 'One girl revolution' by Amiee Alan. I also thought Dawn deserved the credit due to her for kicking so much demon ass this season and still having everyone treat her like she's a wuss._

_Review Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ^_^_


	34. Part Thirty Three First Day 21 days

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: _PG-13 for Angst and ect. __And CD___

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. Oh and a few others…_

Authors note_: Unbetad chapter sorry for long pause in updates another chappie out tomorrow… only a couple more chapters till spuffy meeting… gotta get a few things out of the way first… another ubetad part will be out tomorrow! Yay. Unless of course I'm grounded or something…_

_Finally a new part!_

_***_

**Part Thirty Three**

**_First Day Jitters_**

****

_21 days_

A sparkling orange school bus drove up to the curb of the High school and stopped with a lurch and a groan. The door slid open with an oiled ease and teens began to pile out of the over-grown vehicle. In only a few minutes summer would be officially over them and the bell for school to begin would ring.

"Well," Buffy glanced around as she walked next to her sister up the front steps of the High school. "It looks safe."

"Xander said that it's up to the states building code so baring monsters and creatures from the black lagoon it should be." Dawn smiled and waved at one of the dance team member's. The girl smiled back and went back to talking with a tall-obviously-a-football-player-guy.

"I just hope it can stand up to a Summers wondering the halls," Buffy smiled as Dawn rolled her eyes.

"I for one do _not_ plan to blow up my High School, or set fire to it, or damage it in any way, shape, or form."

"Hey, it was for a good cause." Buffy stopped her sister just into the courtyard at the center of the school building. "And you better no-"

"Hey Dawn."

Buffy turned to see a blonde standing behind her. 

Dawn smiled, "Hi Nichole… Buffy this is Nichole, Nichole this is my sister Buffy."

"Uh hi Buffy," The blonde smiled awkwardly and extended her hand. 

"Hi," Buffy replied and shook it. The blond teen struck Buffy as familiar some how and she tried to place her. 

Nich adjusted her shoulder strap awkwardly and smoothed out her black top. Her long hair fell in waves down her back with a section on the right side braided till just below her ear. She was unsure what to do, after all, Buffy wasn't really a common name.

"Has Dawn had you over before?"  
  


"What?" Nich frowned. "No, I just moved here."

"Oh, I swear I've seen you before…" Buffy shrugged. "So why'd you move here of all places?"

"My Brother, he accepted a teaching position here in the history department… he's kind of my guardian so I had to come with." 

Buffy didn't want to ask the question that was now lingering in an awkward silence, and she ended up not having to.

The seer scuffed a black boot across the new pavement, "My parents died when I was four."

"Uh, hey Nichole we better head to class if we want to get some good seats!" Dawn exclaimed and leaned over to kiss her sister's cheek. "See you later Buffy."

"Alright, see you later. Remember no tardies or you're dead!" Buffy hollered after her sister as she walked away.

Dawn raised her hand over her head and waved, "Gotcha!"

Buffy turned and sighed, "You just have to bring up sore subjects dontcha?" She muttered to herself as she walked toward the steps. 

Without reason she froze, or so it seemed like there was no reason. Buffy turned toward a hall entrance to the main portion of the school and stared at the door for a moment. Walking up to the door she rested her hand on the handle and pulled it open just enough to slip inside. 

There wasn't really any need to be secretive, however, for the schools students were already forming small groups and chatting in the halls. A few classroom doors were opened allowing students to enter to leave backpacks or to sit down. Weaving through the Hall Nichole followed the familiar feeling to the office. She frowned as her eyes found a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye.

"Excuse me Miss, may I help you?" Another figure, a rather tall one at that, blocked her view. Buffy tried to lean around him but he just followed her movement with his body. "Miss?"

Buffy turned her eyes to look up at his face and found herself craning her neck, "Um no, not really. I was just-"

"Looking around?" He sounded amused.

She smiled and nodded, "Yes, I was just looking around. See I used to go here, well, not here but the old Sunnydale high."

"Awe, you must be… Buffy Summers."

"Yah, that's me." Buffy frowned at him. "How do you know who I am?"

"I researched into the old school; I just wanted to get any idea of what I was getting my self into when I accepted the position here."

"And what position would that be?" Buffy tilted her head to the side as she looked at him.

"I'm Robin Wood, the new Principle."

~

Spike leaned against the freshly painted cream wall of the office as the copy machine continued to spew out the nearly three hundred copies he had asked for about 10 minutes ago. As it neared the two hundred mark his spine began to tingle slightly, but it wasn't a warning. The tingle was more like a presence. He attempted to place it and stood straight up, glancing around the room.

"Excuse me Miss-" 

The words caught Spike's attention from across the room. He turned his head toward the voice and time stopped.

Or rather, _seemed_ to stop for Spike. 

The principle stood in front of her. A her that Spike could hardly see. But he knew it was her. He knew it just like he knew his favorite color was-

"Are you done with the copier?"

"Wha-?" Spike blinked at the short man in front of him and glanced down at the recently finished copier machine. "Oh. Yah mate, the machines all yours."

Taking one last glance toward Buffy and the Principle Spike slipped out the back of the office.

~

"Great," Buffy smiled awkwardly as the conversation drudged on. "Then you must want me to go."

"Actually," He cut her off, "I was wondering if you'd like a job."

"You're offering me a job?" Buffy nearly laughed out loud.

"Well it wouldn't pay much, or rather hardly anything at all but it would be for a good cause." He smiled and cleared his throat, "It's a part time position as a councilor and we really-."

"I would love to really I would," Buffy shook her head. "In fact I'm thinking about counseling as my after college career but with college and my job at the local martial arts school I just don't have the time."

"Well I'm sorry to hear that," He slipped his hands into his pockets and sighed.

Buffy glanced at her watch and cursed at herself, "I really got to be going, my class starts in half in hour and I still have to set up. Thanks for the offer."

Principle wood watched her back as she hurried down the hall, "Guess I'll have to find someone else."

*****

Spike unlocked the door to his class room and stepped inside, his heart pounding slightly. He had seen her, well barely seen_ her, and it wasn't mutual with the stares and the awkwardness… but still, he had seen Buffy._

"Uh, is it alright if I put my back pack in here?" A voice from behind him startled Spike. He turned to see a bleach-blond girl with a purple steak in her hair. "I have your class first period and I'd rather not have to drag it around till then."

"Sure, just pick a desk." Spike nodded to the nearly empty classroom. A few posters decorated the walls, Tara and Nich's idea of course. He hadn't even wanted to really do much with the classroom till school started but they had dragged him down to the school insisting that a bright and cheerful class room is a happy class.

"There isn't going to be a seating chart?" She asked putting her bag on a desk three rows back.

"Not unless there's need of one," Spike told her offhandedly as he rummaged through his bag and used the toe of his boot to push the on button to his computer. The black machine beeped once and then whirred a bit as it came to life.

"Cool," After a moment of arranging her stuff she was gone out the door.

*****

"So that was your sister?" Nich asked as she and Dawn walked through the halls.

"Yep," Dawn sighed. "She can really be a pain sometimes."

"I know, older sibling having as well you know." Nich nodded remembering his death in England and all of his late night patrols that got him into scuffles with large numbers of vampires at times. "There a pain but you gotta love 'em- Whoa watch it!"

"Jerk," Dawn rolled her eyes at the guys who sped past them. "Freshman?"  
  


"Freshman." Nich nodded. "I am just so happy I got to skip that year."

"What?"

Nich froze then broke into a nervous smile, "uh I was home schooled Freshman year… a lot of no fun and tutors telling me to work harder and tests lots and lots of tests!"

Before Dawn could reply the first bell rang breaking into their conversation and announcing the first day of High school at Sunnydale High.

***** 

"Good Morning Sunnydale High!" A cheerful high pitched voice came over the loudspeakers following a burst of pop music and the morning announcements began.

Spike rolled his eyes at the sound of the teenagers annoying voice. Trying to ignore it he picked up a sheet of paper with a grid very similar to the seating arrangement of the room. There was enough room in every space for the students name and ID# to be written. He handed it to the closest student to him and waited for the announcements to end.

A few long minutes later the announcements were over and he walked to the over head and removed the large stack of green papers.

"Good Morning, I am Mr. Walthrop and I am your history teacher this year. To answer some questions very quick I am British though I have lived in the US for the most part of the last five years, my favorite color is silver, my hear is spoken for, and I have a younger sibling who attends this school," Spike passed the papers out to the rows of students then made his way to the front of the room again and deposited the extras on the overhead. "Hopefully after we get the classroom guidelines we can have a question and answer session, if you want, but for now let's just get on with the required stuff shall we?"

*****

Nich and Dawn exchanged a look as the teacher announced that the students would be doing introductions.

"How about we go backwards in the alphabet for a change?" The teacher said which caused Nich to curse Spike's last name, inwardly of course.

"Nichole Walthrop? Would you please go first?"

Nich stood slowly and brushed a stand of hair behind her ear. "I'm Nichole Walthrop. I lived on the east coast or a few years with my Mom and step dad." Pausing she ran through the cover story once more in her mind before continuing. "My real dad is British and I have an older brother. Just to get this out of the way right now, my parents, not counting my stepfather who I never really like, are dead. I'm living with my older brother Will who is now my guardian. He is also one of the history teachers here, which is why I am here. I am a sophomore and I am also on the dance team. I have a black belt in karate and I despise most pop music."

"Thank You Nichole, Jake Terence?"

*****

The original Sunnydale slayer managed to slip into her class only five minutes after it began. Setting her bag down, she smiled sheepishly at her classmates. 

"Miss Summers, you are late." The professor said as he shuffled a pile of pappers.

"Yah sorry about that, my clock was off and-"

"Just sit down." The professor waver her into silence and then continued with the discussion Buffy's entrance had interrupted.

*****

Echo sighed and raised her hand, interrupting the teacher's explanation of his Grading style.

"Can I use the bathroom?"

"Take a pass," The teacher nodded toward a couple of hanging plaques with bathroom pass stylized on them.

Echo walked out of the class and pushed a strand of blue hair behind her ear as her other hand gripped the pass. Not far down the hall she turned to the swinging bathroom door and pushed it open. Pausing she glanced at the girl doing her makeup carefully in the mirror.

"What happened?" Echo asked as the walked toward her.

The blonde brushed a strand of short hair in front of her face and smiled quickly. "Nothing."

"Did someone hit you?" Echo touched the girls shoulder lightly.

*****

"-really into Brittany spears early work before she sold out. So mostly finger paintings and macaroni art."

"Thank you dawn-" The teacher was cut off as Nich screamed.

.

***

To be continued in: _Lessons_

Author Note: _Another long absence… a few things to blame cause I can: Finals, addicted to making music vids, family stuff, hard rive crashes, hard drive crash deleting a lot of my reformatted stories for my new and improved website, taking up a challenge for a music video that turned out to be 8min:35 sec long. Anyway this is unbelted and another unbetad chapter will be out tomorrow, also my new addiction to subbed InuYasha and a renewed Highlander addiction may be to blame as well…I have a couple of new music vids… check out my website at: . Fanfic submissions wanted and needed! ^_^_

_Review Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ^_^_


	35. Part Thirty Four Lessons 21 days

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: _PG-13 for Angst and ect. __And CD___

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. Oh and a few others…_

Authors note_: **Unbetad** chapter, another in a day or two… plz don't skip on reviews, a reviewed author is a happy author… plus I wanna know if you still like my story after my sabbatical  … check out my website! www.starsightvoices.cjb.net thanks! And a reviewed author is a happy author! ^_^ ___

_Lookie, another new part mommy! Look!_

_***_

**Part Thirty Four**

**_Lessons_**

****

_21 days_

She fell out of her chair to the freshly polished tiled floor. Her hands stung at the contact but she didn't notice. Images flashed in front of her eyes, inside her eyes. Her mind. 

Dawn was out of her seat in a flash and kneeling next to Nich. The seer gasped as the images fell away and sat up quickly.

"Are you alright?"

Nich looked up at the teacher and nodded. Her hand pushed a strand of hair  that had fallen into her eyes behind her ear. "Could I go use the bathroom?"

"Of course," The teacher nodded. He was still concerned though and decided to do something that would put his concerns at ease. "Dawn, why don't you go with her? Just to make sure nothing else like this happens."

"Sure," Dawn nodded and  followed Nich out the door.

*****

"N-No one hit me," the blonde turned to face Echo. "Really I'm fine."

Echo gasped in alarm as the pretty girl she had seen in the mirror's face was rotten.

"Oh my gawd."

"He can't help you now, no one can help you now." It smiled, black teech and dark gums showed. "Just like no one could help me then."

Echo moved as if to back up against the wall, but she didn't make it.

*****

"You shouldn't be running!" Dawn called grabbing Nichs arm as they hurried down the hall.

"I'm fine," the seer growled pulling her arm away. "I'm just in a _hurry_!" 

Just before the reached the bathroom Dawn grabbed Nich and forced her to a stop in the hall using her new strength.

"Hold it, you just had some sort of seizure attack thing and now you're running full speed ahead down the hall, a slippery tiled hall. Do you _want_ to get yourself hurt?"

"I'm fine, but Echo won't be if I can't get in that bathroom _now_."

"What are you talking abou-" Dawns voices was cut off by a muffled scream.

"Bloody Hell," Nich grumbled as she and Dawn jumped toward the door.

*****

Arms wrapped around her and a growl filled her ear causing her to scream into a torn and rotting hand.

The door top the Girls Bathroom swung open and Nich, followed closely by Dawn, ran into the room.

Nich growled and jumped toward the creature holding Echo hostage. She didn't make it and was knocked aside. She hit the mirrored wall above the faucet after a rotting and balding janitor threw her away from her intended target. The mirror didn't shatter due to not being made of glass but it bent and dented.

Nich rolled onto the floor knocking a stick figurine down with her. Her face was hidden by her long hair as the janitor grabbed her neck from behind and tightened his grip.

Dawn, however, managed to make it to Echo. The young slayer punched the dead Jekyl-Hyde in the face and grabbed his arm. Echo's struggling and Dawn's help let the teen get free of the Jekyle wannabe.

"Get out of here!" Dawn called to her as she kicked at the Hyde. He grabbed her leg mid kick and twisted her to the side causing her to lose balance and fall to the floor.

The blonde corpse to the side pulled at Echo's arm as she ran toward the door.

Echo turned to face her with wide eyes.

"No one escapes this school and no one ever cares. You're all going to die."

~

Nich was pulled of her feet, struggling to breathe she slammed her elbow back into the dead man's face and growled. As she stuggled her face shifted slightly, her brows disappeared and the boned shifted leaving a slightly bumpy appearance _(think Delenn on B5 without the head bone structure thing). Her canines elongated slightly and grew sharp but her eyes… the once green of the contacts shifted to the purpose full dark blue. Her wavy hair still covered her face but Nich saw the change in the mirror._

Feeling a burst of energy Nich slammed her foot backwards causing even the dead man to cringe and stumble back. Nich rolled her body into a sitting position and flung herself out of his loosened grasp. 

The seer turned and kicked him in the face, "Sorry about the dirty fighting, it's just dieing wouldn't look good on my permanent record right now."

The lights sparked as a hand shot up from the floor and grabbed her ankle, "What the hell!?"

~

As Dawn went to et up hands shot through the tiled floor and latched onto her arms and legs. The teen screamed ad the floor gave out.

~

The blonde holding Echo disappeared and she fell along with her friends into the dark and dirsty, but not yet musty, basement.

~

Outside the basement the bell rang for class to change.

*****

Spike sighted as the students filed out of the classroom. The Vampire turned slayer turned history teacher wasn't used to this torture. He never wanted to answer another question about his "College life", girlfriends, or, especially, his age again

He glanced at the clock and a ghost of a smile lit his lips. Planning period, time to take a break from the nightmare that was teaching. He leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his blonde-brown hair unintentionally messing it up and letting a few stray curls form. Spike yawned and picked up the teacher's version of the world history book to decide on what he was going to cover this week.

*****

Nich groaned, the seer had landed on her stomach and one of her ribs was sore and probably bruised from landing on a large bit of rubble. Her throat ached from where the janitor had grabbed her and  she knew she was going to regret moving and this entire daredevil act later.

Sitting up she ran a hand over her face and groaned. What a way to finally figure out what type of demon you are half of.

Afew feet away Echo nudged Dawn's shoulder causing the slayer to bolt upright.

"Nichole?" Dawn asked quietly as she stood. The room was dark and she could barely see. "You alright?"

"Kinda," The seer avoided looking toward her friends as she stood. Her eyesight was normal even in the dark. Side's she didn't know how to shift out of her demon face. "Are you two okay?"

"A little bruised…" Echo trailed off crossing her arms and shivering slightly. "What were those things?"

"Angry spirits of some sort I think, and probably from the old High School," Nich said slowly as she looked around for a way out.

"Like ghosts?" Echo raised a skeptical brow.

"Yah, like ghosts. Only they could touch us…" Dawn trailed off. "Manifestions! They're manifestions!"

"Mani-what?" Echo glanced at her confused.

"Manifestions, spirits that are called by some sort of object usually." Dawn shrugged. "Or something like that. I skimmed through a section in one of…" She trailed off at the look Echo gave her. "It was in one of my sister's friends sci-fi magazines, something to do with X-files or something."

"Way to go research girl," Nich mumbled. "There's a passage over here we can go through." 

"Then let's get going, this place is staring to creep me out," Echo tried to moved passed Nich but the seer stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

"Let me go first, I have excellent night vision." She brushed past her and walked on down the corridor.

~

"We, are lost." Echo announced as she picked up an eraser she had tripped on and tossed it to the side. "There sure seems to be a lot of junk down here for the school just being built."

Dawn nodded. "Yep on both accounts. Think we should call someone?"

Nich nodded, "I left my cell in my bag though."

"I have one," Dawn took the small black phone out of her pocket. "So who are we going to call?"

"I'll call my brother, he works in the school after all," Nich took the phone out of her hands before she could protest and dialed his number.

~

Spike groaned as the phone awoke him from his unintended nap, "'Ello?"

_"Heya Bro, I kind of need some help."_

"Are you already in trouble?" Spike asked raising an eyebrow. "How'd you manage that?"

_"Uh, evil spirits? I'm kinda stuck in the basement as well."_

"Stuck in the basement? You don't-"

~

"That's your nasty habit and ew," Nich rolled her eyes. "Could you just get down here?"

~

"Alright, I'll come save the day," Spike replied. "Sacred duty and all… is there something wrong with your voice."

_"No, uh just slightly muffled by my inheritance, can you just get down here?!"_

*****

Nich tossed Dawn the phone after hanging up, her face entering Dawns range of sight briefly.

"What's wrong with your face?"

"I'm fine, its just a cut."

"I didn't see a cut," Dawn glanced at Nich suspiciously.

Nich shrugged, "Its just a cut. I probably have a black eye too with my luck." The seer began to continue down the hall. "We better keep looking for the exit."

"Aren't you supposed to stay where you are when you're lost?" Echo asked nervously following close behind Nich.

"And be evil-spirit food?" Nich raised an eybrow at her in the dark. "I'd rather not."

.

*****

To be continued in: _Trial and error_

Author Note: _See I promised a chapter two times in two days and here you have it… though the last was replacing an author note and didn't show up on the updated list so it didn't get any reviews… someone plz review it so it can feel loved! Plz? _I have a couple of new music vids… check out my website at: . Fanfic submissions wanted and needed! ^_^ My goal is to try and get a chapter out every day or every other day at least till the end of summer... cause this school mini-arc was supposed to be over in part 33 but I wrote so much… and wanted to break the parts up. So according to that about only a couple more chapters till B/S meeting… ^_^__

_Look down_

_And down…_

_More…_

_Review Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ^_^ - Just leave a name or Good job or I hate it, or something… remember this is an unbetad chapter!_


	36. Part Thirt Five Trial and Error 21 days

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: _PG-13 for Angst and ect. __And CD___

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. Oh and a few others…_

Authors note_: **Unbetad** chapter, another in a day or two… again new chappie yay! I luv you guys! Thanks for the reviews ppl, and just so you know…Spuffy meeting is in about err 5 chapters… or I could be lying and it's less ;) Also bare with me on these actiony scenes… I'm not very good at writing them so at times they may confuse a bit.___

_Lookie, another new part mommy! Look!_

_***_

**Part Thirty Five**

**_Trial and Error_**

****

_21 days_

Spike stood in the middle of the hall and stared at the door. Its sign taunted him with the stick figure. The white figure's skirt billowed to its knees… figuratively speaking of course.

The male slayer took a deep breath, shrugged, and pushed the door open. Inside it was a mess, a large hole was taunting the "safe" construction job in the center of the room. The mirror had a large dent in it breaking the illusion that it was a glass mirror.

Spike, carefully, walked to the edge and glanced down. It was dark below but the fluorescent lights let him see the basic outline of the floor. Taking what he considered to be the safest route Spike jumped down.

*****

Rubbing her hands across her relatively smooth bumpies, Nich wished the "ridges" would go away and leave her with her human face. 

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Dawn glanced at Nich. The seer replied with a simple shrug.

"I reinstate my claim that we're lost." Echo announced from behind the two. "Plus, my visibility is nearly zero."

"I know what you mean," Dawn shuddered slightly the feeling in her stomach was still there. It had been since the fight in the bathroom.

"Do you want to navigate?" Nich asked at their complaints. During that time they had reached a crossroads in the path.

"Not really," Echo replied. "Hey does anyone hear somethi-"

Nich turned and slipped a hand over Echo's mouth. She lifted a finger in front of her lips to gesture for the girl to be silent. As she dropped her hand Nich nearly had to clamp her hands over her ears.

Echo had screamed.

~

Dawn had been looking down the hallway to the right when Echo's scream broke the silence. Turning back towards her friends, a hand gripped her wrist. The brunnet teen took a second to glance up at the teeth mark riddled ex-principle before she began to scream herself.

~

'Shit!' Nich thought as she remembered her current look. "Echo it's me Nich! Really it is, I-I just kind of have a problem with, well, I'm half demon- but I'm not evil!"

"Wha-what are you?" Echo had backed up a few steps and her voice shook.

"I don't really know… but currently? I'm leaning toward va- duck!"

"Duck? You're a d-" the punk couldn't continue for she was knocked unconcience by a blow to the head.

Nich sighed and launched herself once more at the rotting Jekyle.

*****

Dawn's eyes widened as the principle pointed his finger at her. "Miss Summers, I'm afraid you have detention for-"

"Uh, excuse me?" Dawn cut off his usual speech. "You're dead, and yes I may get detention for 'skipping class' but you aren't the principle of anything anymore… except for perhaps hell if they'd give you the job. Which is doubtful."

Dawn punched him in the head and then followed it with a kick in the face. The kick was left with a sickening crunch that left a large dent in the rotting man's face. 

Dawn smirked as she dropped into a fighting stance, "Guess I get to slay a Principle after all."

However, she failed to notice the other ex-principle standing right behind her with a knife in his hand, mumbling something about a pig.

*****

Spike had heard the screams and followed the noise as well as he could to where the teens fought. The first thing he saw when he came around a corner was a man/creature with a knife, he grabbed it and threw it into the wall before it could stab her.

She spun and called something out in surprise as she saw him.

He didn't hear her as the principle kicked clumsily back and hit him in the gut. Spike fell and used his momentum to roll backwards on the ground before flipped up, dirting his new shirt.

*****

Xander entered the girls bathroom and groaned at the mess that met his eyes. The freshmen girl that had reported the hole in the floor to the office had said it was large but he had no idea it would encompass nearly the entire room.

He carefully scooted around the edge of the hole towards the dented mirror when a bit of red caught his eye. He leaned down and picked the figurine up.

"Huh," He muttered lifting the object up to inspect it. "That's odd."

"Hello Harris." A familiar voice announced as Xander felt a heavy hand come to rest on his shoulder.

*****

Frowning as she clenched her hand around a rotting heart, Nich kicked the creature off her. She hadn't meant to punch her hand _through_ his chest but if it stopped him…

The Jekyl creature hit the wall and slid onto his stomach. Nich dropped the heart onto the ground and groaned at the mess her hand was covered in. Jekyl, however, wasn't out for the count and had disappeared only to reappear behind her.

"Don't you ever die?!" She growled. Nich ducked and rolled to the ground. A second later she jumped up into a kneeling stance and swung her leg in a low kick at the back of his legs effectively knocking him to the ground.

*****

"Larry?" Xander said surprised and with nervousness apparent. "G-Good to see you man."

"Same to you Harris," The dead man smiled. "So how's life treating you… _rough_?" Larry looked concerned and Xander had to laugh nervously as he remembered Larry's secret.

"N-no not at all," the carpenter made a dismissing motion with his hand which lifted the figurine into Larry's line of sight.

The smile fled from the corpses lips and Larry held out his hand. "Xander, do a friend a favor and give me the doll."

"You want this?" Xander's voice cracked. "This is nothing, just a little stick figurine some high schooler probably took from a younger sibling… who was probably shoving it in their face going 'Grr Arrg!' You don't want this."

"Yes, I do," Larry replied in a deadpan.

"Wh-" Xander flinched and fell back as Larry punched him in the jaw.

*****

Spike threw the principle against the wall and kicked its neck. It snapped and it slumped to the floor.

Across the room Dawn slammed her elbow into the short, annoying principle's face. Spinning she kicked his chest backing him against the wall.

"Dawn watch out!" Spike called to her as another figure punched her in the back of the head. The teen fell to the ground as Spike was tackled from behind by Principle Flutie. 

*****

Xander felt his jaw with his free hand and stared up at Larry, "Ow. You hit me!"

"Just give me the doll Harris and there will be no more violence," Larry replied grabbing Xander's shirt front. Xander dropped the figurine behind him as he was lifted into the air.

"What doll?"

Larry glanced at Xander's empty hands and fumed. 

"No doll here, no sirey."

Larry threw Xander away from him and onto the counter top. He cringed as he landed half on one of the faucets… to add to the pain, his movement caused the motion detectors to turn on spraying water onto the back of his pants.

In his rush to find the doll Larry somehow stepped on it breaking it in half, "Shit."

He crumbled to red dust falling and adding to the rubble on the not so pristine floor, just then the door to the girls bathroom opened and three teens screamed.

*****

Spike sighed and sat up as the principle vanished. The male slayer groaned as he stood and gingerly touched his side. For a dead and pudgy principle he had sure been strong.

Dawn answered his groan with a similar one, her foot had hit the wall when Snyder had disappeared.

"I'm not going to be dancing on that today," She flipped her hair out of her face and turned to look at Spike. "It _is_ you!"

"Hey nibblet," Spike grinned sheepishly as he dusted himself off.

The brunet teen calmly walked up to him a smile on her face. She threw her arms around him causing him to stumble in surprise. "Thanks for the save."

He smiled as she pulled away. "You're welcome bi- Hey!" He brought his hand up to his nose and stared at her offended. "Why do you summer's always go for the nose?! And what the bloody hell was that for?"

"That was for leaving and this is fo-" Spike caught her foot midair. 

"I'd prefer not to have anymore bruises, I still have five classes to teach today."

"_You're a teacher?" Her face was covered with confusion as he dropped her foot to the ground._

He nodded, "Come to room A16 during lunch… you have second lunch?" She nodded. "Then come to my room then and I'll explain, right now I have to…"

Spike trailed off and looked around in the darkness, "Nich!"

"Over here! I'd appreciate some help!"

*****

Dawn and Spike rounded the corner to find Nich kneeling next to Echo examining the other teen's bruised head.

"She should be okay in a few minutes," Nich glanced up at her surrogate brother and friend.

"Bloody Hell," Spike satered at her changed features. Dawn took a step back her mouth dropped open.

"Oh yah, remember that other problem I mentioned?" Nich grinned slightly her canines gleaming in the darkness. "Well I think I may have figured out what type of demon I'm half of… that's a plus at least. The downside is I'm kind of stuck."

"Stuck?" Dawn breathed in confusion.

"I've never… changed face before," Nichole shrugged. "I didn't know I could."

"How'd it happen?" Spike knelt down next to her and reached up to touch her slightly ridged brow.

"In the bathroom, I was being chocked by a janitor-maniwhatever," Nich shuddered slightly.

"Manifestion," Dawn supplied.

"Mani-feast." Nich corrected herself, sort of anyway.

Spike pursed his lips in thought, "Concentrate on changing back to your human face… and make sure you aren't thinking about anything violent or… or sexual."

"Are you saying this would happen if I-"

"Nich," Spike glared at the teen cutting her off.

"_Made out with a guy?" Nich shuddered. "Guess I'd really be the school freak then huh?"_

She rolled her eyes at his look and then sighed, "Fine, no violent thoughts. Violent thoughts away! Fly little birdies fly!" She mumbled to herself. After a few moments her eyebrows reappeared and the bones crunched and reformed themselves.

"We should probably get back to class," Dawn pointed out hesitantly.

Spike nodded, "If she's feeling alright you should probably bring her with you to the meeting." He nodded to Echo. "She'll probably want to know what's going on as well."

"That and she thinks I'm an evil vampire who wants to suck her blood," Nich agreed.

Spike raised and eyebrow.

"What? I'm only _half blood sucking fiend here mister! Don't give me that look!"_

Spike lifted Echo into his arms and the three made their way toward what they hoped was the stairs to the basement.

.

*****

To be continued in: _Lunchtime blues_

Author Note: hehehe, hmmm, oh I thought I might mention that the Xander parts in the following few chapters may not exactly be in character for him because I'm not really good at his character because I don't really like him… I kind of insert two discussions at some points because its been bugging me about it and someone needed to say it on the show ***cough* Buffy and Anya *cough*, **anyway that's not for a chapter or two…

_Review Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ^_^ I love reviews!_


	37. Part Thirtysix Lunchtime blues 21 days

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: _PG-13 for Angst and ect. __And CD___

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. Oh and a few others…_

Authors note_: Unbetad chapter… many reasons I haven't posted… lets blame it on my new Inu Yasha obsession…nani? The shows great! A hanyou who likes a miko and has the miko's reincarnation in love with him.. he also likes the reincarnation… he's violent, a jerk at times, caring, half inu demon, wheres red and has white/silver hair… whats not to like? So what if it's only anime…___

_Falcon gets a cold bucket of ice water splashed on her face! I'm up! Here's the chappie!_

_***_

**Part Thirty Six**

**_Lunchtime Blues_**

****

_21 days_

Dawn pushed open the door to room A16 and slipped in. Spike was sitting at his desk typing an email on his computer and listening to Nich who was seated on top of a student desk nearby. Echo fidgeted nervously as she held and ice compress to the bruise on her forehead.

"-Never listening to a vision during school again! I mean two days of detention for skipping one and a half classes?" Nich tossed a chalk board eraser from hand to hand. "I was saving the school! But no, if I were to tell them that-"

"At least your sister's not going to kill you for it…" At Spikes look she adjusted her statement. "Okay at least you won't be ground into the pavement a bit by an angry sister."

"Don't have a sister anyway," Nich smiled at Spike. "But by law Will's my brother."

"You're just lucky it was a big evil that needed to be delt with right away or you _would_ be grounded." Spike teased her.

"Can someone please explain things to me?" Echo asked breaking into their conversation.

"Yes, I'd like to know how you to are related Mr 120-year-old-master-vampire," Dawn agreed.

"Ex-Vampire," Nich pointed out.

"It's simple, went to Africa I passed some trials… met the first slayer. I was chosen by the Powers that Annoyingly Be to be a male version of the slayer, was trained then went to England to visit Rupes, then visited my poof of a grandsire, moved here and accepted the teaching potition," Spike continued to type as he spoke. "Oh and Nich's my seer, she gets visions that let her know when something nasty's a foot."

"He died once too," Nich supplied.

"You died?" Dawn glanced at him. 

"What's a Slayer?"

"Yep I died, nasty robot creature at the Watcher's head Quarters suffocated and poisoned me," Spike nodded then looked toward Echo. "A slayers a person that was chosen to fight vampires, demons and the other nasty occult things this world has to offer."

"Wouldn't that mean another male Slayer's been called?" Dawn asked.

Spike nodded, "Most likely, but unlike the watcher's councils way of finding female slayers which has been perfected over hundreds for years there is no set way to find a male slayer. For all that we _are_ similar our energies are slightly different. Willow and the coven already attempted once to find him but they couldn't."

"They said they were still working on it last time we talked to them but that it'd also probably be a while," Nich added as she stood. The seer walked to the black board and placed the eraser on the ledge where it belonged.

"So some super powerful male slayer is walking around out there with no idea why he's so strong?" Dawn glanced back and forth between Nich and Spike.

Spike nodded, "'Fraid so."

The room was silent for a moment as Spike typed on his keyboard. Finally Dawn spoke up breaking the silence.

"Wait, _Willow_?"

*****

Tara glanced around the college campus quickly before leaving the building, most people accepted her being back from the dead without a second thought but she was still worried about running into Buffy who would know better. Glancing at her watch she realized it was just after twelve. Time to meet Willow at the house for lunch.

*****

"I don't see why I had to bring these to you," Anya crossed her arms in front of her chest as Xander exited the torn up bathroom wearing clean clothes.

"I asked you because I had your number and you still have a key to my apartment," He pointed out adjusting his shirt.

"It looks fine," Anya flipped her hair out of her eyes. "Still I was in the middle of setting up the Magic Box, couldn't you have waited a few hours to disrupt me. The less time that the shop is closed the more money I make."

"Ahn, I just fought some evil zombie Larry thing and ruined my clothes, you couldn't take-"

"See that's the problem Xander I _did_ take the time," Anya shook her head. "We aren't together anymore. You can't call me whenever you need a lunch or locked your keys in your car anymore. I have my own life, and it's separate from yours. You need to grow up and stand on your own feet for once."

"That's not fair," Xander began.

"Yes, it is." Anya cut him off. "It's completely fair! I have a job, a boyfriend, my own _friends_ and you are still trying to be a major part in my life. It doesn't work that way. You left me at the alter. I loved you and you broke my heart and I'm sorry but you can't just make it go away. It wasn't a joke or a tv show, it was real life and you ruined mine."

Xander stared at his hands, they clenched and his mouth opened to interrupt her.

"There is nothing you can do to make me want to be with you again, you hurt me to much," Anya took a deep breath and turned to walk away. "Perhaps we can be friends someday, but for now… I'll see you around. Goodbye Xander."

"_Boyfriend?" Xander whispered looking after her, his heart broke and his mind filled with a maelstrom of thoughts._

*****

Tara smiled as Willow answered the door to Spikes house, "Did William give you a key?"

"Uh huh, said he might as well after all I'm going out with his housemate." Willow smiled and kissed Tara lightly on the lips. "Come on I made ham and cheese."

"Yum," Tara replied and locked her hand into her girlfriends. "Sounds delicious."

"Every college students dream lunch, home-cooked ham sandwhiches… or was it pizza?"

"I think it was pizza," Tara laughed as she sat down at the breakfast bar and was 'served' her lunch. 

"And what would you like to drink this afternoon madame?" Willow asked moving toward the frige. "We have milk, more milk, orange juice and water. Of course I could brew up some tea."

Tara smiled and shrugged, "I think I'll take the milk special." She watched as Willow got out the white jug and a glass and began to pour the liquid. "So how was your day?"

"Oh alright, lots of organizing and packing," Willow gave her a half smile. "Regular retail stuff."

"Was Anya upset?"

"A bit, she said I could work it off, without pay of course. She also I wasn't allowed to buy anything non-apocalypse related, but that was contingent on me not being the cause of the apocalypse."

"Sounds like normal Anya to me," Tara took the glass of milk from Willow and took a small sip. "This is good, hope you didn't take to long to make it."

"Nope, just a bit of ham some cheese, mustered, mayo and bread and viola! Of course I did nearly cut my finger off," Willow glanced down at the slightly cut didget. 

"Oh poor finger," Tara lifted Willow hand to her face and kissed the offending cut lightly. "All better?" She asked looking up into Willows green eyes.

"Almost, I can think of something that would make all better though," Willow smiled mischievously.

.

*****

To be continued in: _familiar dreams_

Author Note: _AGH! Nooo! I completely forgot about this for a week! Gah! Everyone thank _Chelsea18 for my wake up call... and thanks for the review Chelsea18. And yes I should have another chapter out tomarow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I promise! Really this time! ^_^____

_Review Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ^_^ I love reviews!_


	38. Part Thirtyseven Familiar Dreams 8 days

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com 

Rating: _PG-13 for Angst and ect. __And CD___

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. Oh and a few others…_

Authors note_: Many reasons I haven't posted… lets blame it school and on my new Inu Yasha obsession…nani? The shows great! A hanyou who likes a miko and has the miko's reincarnation in love with him… he also likes the reincarnation… he's violent, a jerk at times, caring, half inu demon, wears red and has white/silver hair… what's not to like? So what if it's only anime…___

_Falcon gets a cold bucket of ice water splashed on her face! I'm up! Here's the chappie!_

_***_

**Part Thirty Seven**

**_Familiar Dreams_**

****

_8 days_

_"Mommy?" Her small voice echoed into the large house, her small hand twisted the golden doorknob slightly letting the linen closets door crack open slightly. "Mommy, I waited."_

_The little girl stared out into the dimly lit hallway before gripping the bottom of the shelf her mother had placed her on before telling her to be silent and to wait for her to return. Her long blonde hair framed her golden face as her yellow eyes adjusted to the darkness._

_The hallway brightened in front of her and she giggled as she stared at the wall across from her. Carefully she slipped from her perch and landed lightly on the carpeted floor._

_"Mommy!" She called out into the quiet house a smile on her pink lips. "Daddy tried to paint the wall again!"_

~

_She giggled smiling at her aunt as the woman attempted to juggle her stuffed animals. The brunet dropped the stuffed dog but it didn't hit the floor, instead it was caught by her Uncle._

_"Hey Nichy," He knelt down before her. "Is Auntie making a fool of herself again?"_

_The toddler reached out and grasped a strand of her uncle's long hair causing her aunt to laugh._

_"Maybe you _should_ get a hair cut dear!"_

_~_

_"Mommy, why does Grandpa look younger than daddy?"_

_Her mother turned to face her and smiled slightly._

_"Uh plastic surgery," her father supplied from across the room. He then received a glare from both her Mother and Grandpa._

_~_

_Her young mind registered the dark color over the cream colored walls as the paint her father had attempted to use in the bathroom to 'brighten' it up from the brisk white color it was just last week. _

_She giggled as she touched the dark liquid smeared on the wall. "Daddy made a mess!" She called out._

_She smeared the liquid across her new rose colored jeans she bit her lip. Her mom wasn't going to be happy that she ruined the brand new pants._

_Her lips turned into a pout as she glanced around the darkened hall, "Mommy?" She called out her high voice a squeak. A little bit of light drifted from the door to her parent's bedroom. _

_"Mommy!" She called out again as she walked towards the color splattered door._

_~_

_"Mommy is that me?" Nich asked pointing to the picture just out of her reach._

_"Yes honey it is," Her mother answered off handedly._

_"Why are my eyes blue?"_

_~_

_She past by several dark smudges on the carpet and a thick gold band that had rolled out from the guest bedroom which door was only slightly open._

_Pushing open the door to her parents' room she smiled softly at her mother. The telly was playing, it's flashing lights played out into the dark room. Her mother leaned against the foot of the bed faced toward the small box. The television played a scene over and over. _

_On the screen her mommy and daddy kissed in front of a tall man holding a book. Her mom was dressed in a long flowing white dress a veil over her eyes and her daddy in a dark tux. _

_"Mommy?" she asked as she walked over to her mother. She sat down next to her mother whose head rested against the dark comforter of the bed._

_Her mother didn't answer so she pulled her legs up against her and stared at the television screen. She leaned her head against her mothers shoulder. _

_She didn't even notice the dark wood that pierced her mother's heart, or the blank stare that filled her mothers normally sharp and pointed green eyes._

_Her young mind was oblivious to the death and despair that filled her world._

_She remained there leaning up against her mothers body for several hours till her aunt and uncle found her there._

_*****_

Nich bolted upright in bed as she was awakened by hands shaking her. She breathed deeply trying to calm herself down before looking into her worried brother's face. Her nightmare had been intermingled with better memories, and faces she could barely remember and hardly make out.

"Are you alright? You screamed." 

She nodded, "Just a nightmare."

There was a pause before her adoptive brother spoke, "Want to talk about it?"

Nich sighed and stared toward her window, "I was reliving my how I found my mom."

Spike watched her, he wanted to ask her what had happened but didn't. She was talking to him about her life and he didn't want to interrupt her.

"I was just a little kid, four probably." She wrapped her arms around her legs. "I don't remember much from back then, just bits and pieces."

Sighing she glanced up at him, "She was murdered and I didn't know. I curled up next to her and watched TV for hours… she was dead the whole time."

"It wasn't your fault," He murmured.

"How do you know? I'm half vampire that's got to be a reason enough to come after me. She told me to hide and I did, and she died."

After a few moments pause Spike spoke up, "When I was alive, originally, I had a wonderful Mum. She was the only person in the whole world that actually liked my poetry, other than the great poof." Spike laughed slightly and earned a grin from Nich. "Now, she was sick with Tuberculosis and was dying slowly when I was turned. I loved her so much I…I turned her."

"What happened?"

"She wasn't the same anymore; she insulted me and acted like I was the cause of all the bad in her life." Spike shrugged. "So I staked her."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Nich asked softly.

"I blamed myself for her death, for the fact she was dying in the first place," Spike smiled sadly. "There was nothing I could have done to prevent it though. I probably even spared her a great deal of pain in the long run."

"How do you know for sure though?"

"That's the sad part, you don't," He moved a stray lock of hair out of her face. "You never know for sure Kat. There are probably an infinite number of things that could have happened but what happened did, you can't change that."

Nich glanced at the clock and sighed, "It's almost one."

He nodded, "You going to be able to get some sleep?"

"Probably not," she shook her head then grinned. "Want to play Twisted Metal II?"

"Well since tomorrow is a Saturday and all… on one condition."

"What?"

"You are _not_ going to be Grasshopper."

"Why not?" Nich grinned stretching as she stood. "She's my favorite character."

"She's a bloody homing missile!"

"And it beats you every time," Nich grinned and exited her room.

*****

Faith punched the vampire in the gut and slammed the stake into its heart, "Dammit!" The slayer cursed as the stake dissolved along with the vampire. "I hate it when that happens."

She dusted off her dark blue shirt and stretched her arm above her head. Pausing mid stretch she frowned and dropped her arm slowly to her side, "Who's there?"

"You've got style," a voice replied from the dark. "I like that in a girl."

Faith spun toward him and saw the young man off to the side. "Who are you?"

He shrugged and walked foreword a few feet, "I don't really feel like telling you Faith."

"Do I know you?"

"No, but I'm the reason you're here… or rather my master is."

She stared at him, assessing him. "You're a vampire."

"Yes, yes I am."

"Why aren't you attacking me?"

"Because I have a proposition for you slayer… one that hopefully you'll agree to," he answered.

"And if I don't?"

"Well, that's the thing isn't it," He smiled at her his human mask was on and his teeth gleamed a brilliant white.

*****

Buffy stared at the mirror in her room as she held an old outfit in front of her. "What do you think?"

"Blah," Dawn made a face. "Get rid of it. Sides when was the last time you wore it?"

She nodded and put it on the small pile of clothes near her feet, "What was I thinking when I bought this?" She asked pulling out a horrible green thing.

"That would be your bridesmaids dress for Anya and Xander's wedding," Dawn reminded her.

"Oh," Buffy placed it on the pile. "Have you seen Anya lately?"

"Not much," Dawn replied picking up a white top. "She's been setting up the shop and visiting England so much I think she may even have an apartment in London or something. Do you want this?" The teenager eyed the slightly worn and torn shirt.

Her sister took it from her hands and nodded, "Its… special." She smiled sadly remembering the night she and Spike spent together in the old house. "So yes... England huh? Wonder what she's been doing there."

"Maybe she and Giles are going to get together," Dawn pulled out another shirt, this time a soft green one. "Can I have this?"

"Sure," Buffy nodded placing the white shirt back into the closet.

Dawn frowned and pulled a black coat from the far side of the closet. "Isn't this Spike's?"

"Yah," Buffy nodded and smiled. "I'm keeping it till I see him again."

"You don't want to burn it or something after what he did to you?" Dawn looked up at her. 

Buffy reached over and took the leather duster from her sisters hands and shook her head, "It was a misunderstanding Dawnie, he didn't mean to hurt me."

"He didn't mean to rape you?"

Buffy's head shot up, "What? He didn't… attempt for a minute yes. He was upset and hurt and it was my fault. I hurt him a lot more than he hurt me last year. I used him Dawnie."

"Xander said he raped you."

"Xander doesn't know what he's talking about half the time," Buffy took her sisters hand and sat on the edge of the bed. "After I came back it was hard. I couldn't- I just couldn't be around you guys."

Dawn tilted her head to look at her sister's face.

"Being here after being in heaven, it was rough. You guys expected me to be the old me though and I-I just couldn't be her."

"No Buffy we didn't…" Dawn shook her head but Buffy silenced her.

"Maybe not you but Xander and Willow, even Giles and Anya did," She laughed slightly. "Everyone thought I should be happy and I just couldn't stand it. I couldn't feel the pain was so numbing. So I went to him, the only time I could feel at all was when I was with him. But I didn't know what I felt. I couldn't remember what it was like to feel anything but the extreme bliss that Heaven was."

"Oh God," Dawn murmured. "I'm so sorry Buffy."

"Don't worry about it, last year was rough but I got through it," Buffy smiled slightly. "I think I finally realized what I want and what I felt."

"What was that?"

Buffy shrugged and stood, "Doesn't matter now does it? He's gone. Side's Dawnie you should get some sleep I didn't realize it was so late."

"I don't need sleep," Dawn insisted. "I mean I do, but tomorrow's a Saturday so we can talk a while longer."

"I know, but I want to sleep," Buffy told her. "I need sleep; do you know how long this afternoon was? I think shopping after two classes and work really makes it the 'shop till you drop' scenario'."

*****

To be continued in: _What about me?_

Author Note: _Thank you so much everyone for the reviews, and sorry this is so late… I'm having problems writing a certain chapter… which is why putting this up was on hold. Also I just finished a play I got persistently asked to be on crew for and homework's been a bitch. Anyway once I get that certain chapter finished since I have the infamous writers block on it this fic should start coming out really fast… Thanks everyone for sticking with me and the meeting is what… 2 chapters from now? At most 3 ;)._

_Review Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ^_^ I love reviews!_


	39. Part Thirteight What about me? 8 days

Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falconriderhotmail.com

Rating: _PG-13 for Angst and ect. And CD_

Disclaimer: _I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. Oh and a few others…_

Authors note_: Umm… there is nothing that can excuse my lack of postage… except perhaps writers block… and the fact that I seriously thought I had posted this one! Turns out I hadn't… Anyway, another chapter will be out in about 2 days. I just have to type it up and edit it… then hopefully another soon after..., as soon as I locate my timeline again… --;_

* * *

**  
Part Thirty Eight**

**_What about me?_**

****

_8 days  
_

* * *

"Who are you?" Faith growled at him, visibly shaken and upset.

"The question is who _I could_ be," He smiled and raked her body with his eyes. "An ally, a friend? A lover…"

She laughed, "How about D none of the above."

"None of the above is E, baby you just chose the best of all."

"What's that?"

He grinned and was behind her in less than a flash. Her hands were held tightly behind her back as he spoke softly into her ear, "Your master."

Faiths eyes widened as his tongue felt her pulse point, "And why would I want that?"

"We gave you this life," He replied drawing back from her neck slightly. "We can take it away again."

"What do you mean you gave me this life?"

"What, do you really think you got out on good behavior?" He laughed. "No baby, there's none of that for _murder_."

"How?"

"We have powerful allies; they managed to get you paroled."

"So," Faith coughed out a laugh. "My whole life here is a lie?"

"Pretty much," He smiled into her neck as he kissed it.

"Sarah, Bobby, and the baby?" Her voice was rough.

"No. They're yours, but your job, the parole… that's all ours," He answered tightening his hold.

"I-I get to keep my life if I work with you?"

"No one will even know your helping us," He answered.

"Alright then, what do I have to do?"

"It's simple," He whispered. "Just_ sleep._"

His fangs pierced her neck and she screamed.

* * *

Dawn opened the door to her bedroom and entered, closing the door behind her. Going to the closet she hung up the light green shirt Buffy had let her have before grabbing a night shirt.

She felt guilty about not telling her sister about Spike, but she had already agreed not to. What was she supposed to do, argue with him? He had given her his puppy dog face and she had relented to the ex-vampire, of course, she had him whipped as much if not more so than he had her, so it didn't bug her too much.

The young slayer undressed quickly and slipped her long night shirt over her head before going to the dresser and taking out a bottle of lotion.

She had been mad at him about what he had done to Buffy, but she wasn't as mad as she had been. After Buffy had explained it to her the anger had further faded from her mind. Squirting the lotion into her palm she began to rub it into her arms and hands.

Her sister had been acting different lately, and Dawn guessed it had something to do with what she had been talking about…

_"Don't worry about it, last year was rough, but I got through it," Buffy smiled slightly. "I think I finally realized what I want and what I felt."_

_"What was that?"_

_Buffy shrugged and stood, "Doesn't matter now does it? He's gone. Side's Dawnie you should get some sleep I didn't realize it was so late."_

…her sister cared for him, she just knew it. Maybe it was love, and maybe it wasn't. Buffy herself had admitted that she had only felt when around him, even if she couldn't understand or fathom the feeling it had to have been pretty strong to break through the numbness.

Dawn seriously doubted that it had been hate.

* * *

Willow yawned as she exited the bathroom, the toilet flushed behind her. She frowned as she walked past the living room towards the room that Xander had fixed up for her, the one that used to be a closet.

"Xander?"

"Oh, hey Will." He answered from the darkness.

"What are you doing up?"

"Nothing, I just couldn't sleep."

She frowned and walked toward him, "Are you alright?"

"No, not really."

"What happened?"

"Do I have my own life? Do I still lean too much on Anya?"

"Uh, I don't think so," Willow sat down on the couch next to him. "But then I was gone all summer, so I'm not really the right person to ask."

"She- she said that I cling to her, and that I need to let her live her own life," Xander glanced at his best friend. "I don't cling… do I?"

"Maybe just a little," Willow answered hesitantly.

"I do? How do I cling? I mean, I didn't really figure myself to be a clingy person," Xander jumped up and paced in front of the witch.

"Well you do kind of try to control things a bit at times, people's lives," She whispered.

"When have I tried to control peoples lives-"

"We, not just you, kind of do it all the time with Buffy," Willow smiled sadly. "I realized that this summer. She could have been a lot happier if we hadn't pushed her."

"We didn't push Buffy, there was no pushing-"

"She let us believe she was in Hell because we kept saying she was," Willow interrupted him. "And what about the time when she had to send Angel to Hell? Remember you're: 'Kick his ass for me' or whatever it was? Think she wouldn't tell me about that?"

He glanced at her surprised, "I guess I just-"

"We control her all the time, we influence her… and I guess Anya realized that you were trying to do that with her too," Willow looked away. "I'm sorry to have to tell you this Xander, but Anya _did_ love you and you gave her up. It hurts a lot when someone leaves or dies and it doesn't heal quickly. If she doesn't want to be with you anymore it's her choice. Let her have her life."

"Great everyone hates me," Xander muttered.

"No, we still care for you Xander but she's right… you can be clingy at times," Willow said.

After a few moments of silence Xander sat back down next to her.

"There's no way I can get her back is there?"

Willow smiled sadly and shook her head, "Probably not."

* * *

Faith groaned and rolled over, a rock had dug into her side during the night… a rock? She bolted upright and stared at the rising sun across the cemetery. Twisting her head around she saw a stake lying next to her; flecks of dust scattering the ground near where her head had been.

Her neck hurt.

She lifted her hand up to it and felt the vampire bite marring her neck. She hissed at the soreness of it.

Faith stood slowly, feeling completely numb inside, and picked up the stake. It was time to head home.

* * *

To be continued in: _The Stars, The Sight, The Voices_

_A.Note: Please don't murder me!!! .; This year was a hectic one… and I had bad, very bad, writers block. I hope though, that starting with my next chapter, my writing will have greatly improved. See, I was in AP English this year, and I'll be in it again next year... Also I've been Qcing stuff for a channel on IRC. So I like to think I've gotten better over my sabbatical from writing. . Psst, if you like Naruto, please check out my one shot, soon to have another chapter, Naruto ficcy! And I realize that something is off about the timing for the Xander scene... but I haven't done anything but a quick check for grammar/spelling errors in this before I posted so... _

_Please R&R and yell at me for being late! I deserve it! ((better read next chapter hint ._


	40. Part Thirtynine TS,TV,TS

**Part Thirty Nine**

**_The Stars, the Voices, The sight_**

****

Buffy tapped the sharpened stick against her leather covered thigh. The worn black of her last lover's favorite duster was like a second skin over her clothing. She sighed in boredom and pushed a curled lock of hair behind her ear as she walked.

"Here vampires, here vampy-vampires," The slayer sing songed. "Oooh fresh grave."

Buffy stepped to the side of the soft dirt and spied a nearby grave stone with the perfect vantage point. She leaned over and brushed off the cold stone before she sat on it. The slayeress glanced up into the night sky; stars twinkled back only slightly obscured by smog and dust particles.

"You better be a vampire," She announced as she turned her attention to the freshly dug grave.

"Who?"

"Uh… Mindy Laur-" Buffy cut herself off and jumped up. She spun to face the vampiress. "Drusilla."

"Slayer, tsk tsk tsk," Drusilla moved her hand in front of herself, scolding the blonde. "I could have killed you."

"Why didn't you then?"

The Vampire growled, "You still surround him, you changed him. You took my black knight and molded him into your own shape."

Buffy blinked, "Hug?"

"I want _my Spike_ back," Drusilla whined. "You took him, if I kill you…" The vampires tilted her head to the side and stared at the space next to her. "The Voices say I'll get him back." Her features slipped into game face.

"Kill me? " Buffy crossed her arms and tossed her head. "I don't think so-"

Buffy blocked Drusilla's lunge and knocked her away. Dru caught herself and returned a kick into Buffy's back as she fell knocking her head first toward a headstone.

* * *

The TV glowed as action flashed across it, on the couch Dawn, Nich, Tara, and Willow, were blissfully unaware of the tragic occurrences happening only ten minutes away in a seemingly empty graveyard.

* * *

Spike swallowed as he turned the corner to where he heard the fight. As he thought, Buffy was in a fight with a vampire. Two things surprised him though.The first thing was the fact that Drusilla was the vampire in question. The second one being that Buffy's head had just met a head stone with a sickening smack.

The male slayer wasted no time in joining the fight, reaching the vampires before she could kill the women he loved.

* * *

Drusilla turned just before Spike grabbed her. His hands held her shoulders and one hand, inadvertently bringing her flush against him.

"My William," She purred. Her vampire face slithered across her features. "Have you come home to play with your mum?"

Spike drew his hand from hers shoulder and grasped her neck. His fingers trembled as part of him cried out against him.

"Sorry pet," he murmured as his fingers clenched. "You hurt the girl."

Her unused windpipe easily compacted in his grip; a soft crack was heard as her neck snapped. He couldn't dust her yet, he just wasn't there yet. But, that didn't stop him from sending her away, all neatly packaged to Romania or some such place, which is exactly what he did.

* * *

Buffy groaned as she awoke, her eyes quickly snapping open to servey the scenery. She was in her living room, laying on the couch. A frown made its way across her features, how had she gotten there?

A nervous shuffle made its way to her acute ears, she turned her head and her mouth fell open. A few feet from her, two mugs in hand, Spike stood. His hair was blonde, curling slightly in the way she had liked it but had never told him. He was dressed differently then when she had last seen him. A pair of faded blue jeans, a dark blue dress shirt with a white shirt underneath… this was a different vampire then she remembered.

That thought struck something inside of her. She couldn't sense him! At least, not in the usual "come kill me slayer, for I am a big bad vampire!" type sense.

"Sp-Spike?"

He glanced up from staring at his feet, at her startled whisper.

"Hello Buffy," He replied. "Fancy some hot chocolate?"

She had so many questions for him, to which he hopefully had the answers.

A small smile made its way across her lips.

"Sure, if you have some aspirin anyway… I feel like I played chicken with a semi and lost."

He chuckled, finding him self losing his nervousness at her humor.

* * *

Nich yawned and glanced at the clock as the end credits scrolled across the screen.

"Where do you think Will is?" Dawn asked, a yawn interrupting her mid-sentence.

Nich frowned, "Maybe he ran into some trouble. I doubt it though. He probably just decided to sneak some beer or cigs for trip through memory lane."

"I hope there wasn't any trouble, I'd rather not have to resurrect another friend," Willow mumbled sleepily. Her head was against Tara's shoulder; Tara, who was oblivious to the entire conversation since sleep had claimed not long before the movie ended.

"So are we going to watch another movie?" Dawn asked standing to stretch.

"Actually," Nich interrupted her. "Sci-fi is replaying BG03 the mini series part two right now, I'd kind of like to watch it if no one minds."

"Nope," Dawn smiled. "The one guys cute."

"Isn't he?" Nich smiled as she turned the VCR off and started to flip the channels. "I just love Jamie Bamber!"

"BG03?" Willow blinked.

Nich glanced at the witch. "You'd probably like it too. It has Katee Sackoff and Tricia Helfer on it."

"Ooooh!" Willow grinned realizing what 'BG03 stood for. "Turn it on! That cylon lady is hot!"

The teenagers laughed at the sleepy witch, waking Tara up from her nap. "The movie's over? Did they find Nemo?"

* * *

_A/N: Finally, I rewrote it again after coming home from __Japan__ and realizing that when I thought I updated it didn't. For which I am glad, because what I had was ten times worse than this chappie… and that's saying a lot. Oh and yes… that's a shameless plug for Battlestar Galactica… and yes Jamie Bamber who plays the new Apollo is hot… very hot indeed (IOW go to w w w. gateworld. N e t 's Battlestar Galactica section to see what the series is about!) Also, my muse is back since I wrote the part from the TV to the end in about 10 minutes… I also took the SATs today… whoo heh sorry again about the length between updates I have a plan to finish this before I graduate in june and I WILL! The next arch is going to build up to the end… there are two archs following this… one of which will be condesed from my original but not removed since I can't remove that character very easily. -- This is a thanks also to the person who sent the nice review the other day I believe it went: "Hello anybody home?"If they reply, and want a gmail account they can have one. As well as the other first person to ask for one… really… they give you to many to give out… IMHO_

_Sorry its short. Heh._


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